Key West Press
Tori’s Art & Soul
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Tori is the artistic metamorphosis of former Silicon Valley technical illustrator Victoria Moore. Her life seems at times a splitpersonality battle over creative control of her soul, with no clearcut victor. But the battle rages, with other personalities emerging as new styles come to light. Interviewed during some down time from an art show in Palm Springs, Calif. "I still see myself as an emerging artist It's a continual evolutionary process through art. I don't want to be pigeon-holed. It's hard to market, but who cares, I never thought my fine art would support me."
Sometimes women, the focus of her body of work, are depicted as angels and goddesses. sometimes they represent power and justice, and other times, her subjects are titillating and erotic. Her initial body of work was boldly graphic, with strong line work and sensual imagery. however as she grew further away from technical drawing as a day job, her w-ork became soft and pastel and at times more spiritual. Authenticity has always been as important to Tori as as color and texture, as much of her subject matter depicts powerful women of time periods, such as the "Goddess Isis", Dance of the Seven veils" and "Cleopatra". After a subject or theme is chosen, she extensively researches fabrics, jewelry, and background elements. |
Tori's life story does not read like many starving artists, with Victoria making wise business decisions to keep Tori from falling into the pitfalls of many of her contemporaries. She grew up in the arts-rich san Francisco bay Area and completed her first commissioned work at 15, a portrait of a wealthy breeder on his prize golden palomino. At 22, held her first one-woman show at a San Francisco gallery.
Her painting. however, would take a backseat throughout most of the 1970's as she· worked with computer giants of silicon valley and NASA as a technical illustrator. Corporate designing would soon become a creative burden, as the day-to-day responsibilities left her with little studio time. "My whole life felt like it was behind schedule and overbudget"," she said. "And with dealing with so much seriously advanced technology, nothing in daily life excited me." This change in mindset would lead to one of her well-know pieces "Changing my Image,"which depicts a nude woman painting herself from Black and whit to color. But first, she loaded up a van . with art and supplies and left California. She would trek for eight months in search of fertile ground for her creations.
She eventually drifted to Sarasota, FL and managed a Bennett Sculpture gallery, where she initially met Justine Philipson, Owner of "Justine's". She is an incredible artist" Philipson said. "Her work is amazing". As Tori would grow more creative and gained greater control over various media, the depth and texture of her paintings grew. Tori eventually settle in Ft. Lauderdale, where she works with a publishing company to help support her artistic endeavors.
Her style and subject matter are constantly evolving, She currently is working on eight pieces, ranging from the spiritual to the sensual. One constant has been that her models have been women. But that too is changing, as she is tackling the male anatomy as subject matter. to some degree, her hesitancy has been the market place. "In the past women hadn't the disposable income to buy paintings of men for their homes." she said. Tori is currently on a U.S. tour, stopping in Southern California, Atlanta, the Keys. . and then winding down in New York City.
Tori's one-woman artistic dichotomy will be on display at Justine's, MM 81 bayside. While in Islamorada, Tori will be showing several limited edition prints and two original paintings.
- Timothy O’Hare: Free Press Staff Writer: 2003
Her painting. however, would take a backseat throughout most of the 1970's as she· worked with computer giants of silicon valley and NASA as a technical illustrator. Corporate designing would soon become a creative burden, as the day-to-day responsibilities left her with little studio time. "My whole life felt like it was behind schedule and overbudget"," she said. "And with dealing with so much seriously advanced technology, nothing in daily life excited me." This change in mindset would lead to one of her well-know pieces "Changing my Image,"which depicts a nude woman painting herself from Black and whit to color. But first, she loaded up a van . with art and supplies and left California. She would trek for eight months in search of fertile ground for her creations.
She eventually drifted to Sarasota, FL and managed a Bennett Sculpture gallery, where she initially met Justine Philipson, Owner of "Justine's". She is an incredible artist" Philipson said. "Her work is amazing". As Tori would grow more creative and gained greater control over various media, the depth and texture of her paintings grew. Tori eventually settle in Ft. Lauderdale, where she works with a publishing company to help support her artistic endeavors.
Her style and subject matter are constantly evolving, She currently is working on eight pieces, ranging from the spiritual to the sensual. One constant has been that her models have been women. But that too is changing, as she is tackling the male anatomy as subject matter. to some degree, her hesitancy has been the market place. "In the past women hadn't the disposable income to buy paintings of men for their homes." she said. Tori is currently on a U.S. tour, stopping in Southern California, Atlanta, the Keys. . and then winding down in New York City.
Tori's one-woman artistic dichotomy will be on display at Justine's, MM 81 bayside. While in Islamorada, Tori will be showing several limited edition prints and two original paintings.
- Timothy O’Hare: Free Press Staff Writer: 2003
