Unfiltered SA Feature

I discussed the symbol as a serpent in my most recent work with Deliasofia Zacarias and Casie Lomeli of Unfiltered SA. Please read to learn more about the significance of serpent energy in my healing process.

An Ongoing Relationship With Serpent Energy - Unfiltered SA

SAPL Podcast - Digging

I enjoyed discussing my solo exhibition, Digging with J.D. Elizondo and Raquel Reyes of the San Antonio Public Library Podcast, Tuned In. Listen here to learn more about the meaning behind my most recent work:

SAPL Podcast - Digging

LINDA ON MY MIND

Here are some process shots of Texas Bindweed helping me pay tribute to Linda Ronstadt and her eerie, heartbreaking song, Blue Bayou.

Tejana

I am working with Texas bindweed (a native Texan flowering vine in the morning glory family) to create some jewelry meant to adorn my Tejana body and show reverence for the land of my birth.

Tex-Mex

Tejana

Texas Bleeding Heart Vine

More experiments in organic art are happening in my studio. While I wait for some other plant matter to dry out, I am focusing on this mujer.

This Texas bleeding heart vine bloomed once and was never really happy again. It struggled for a couple of years and died last winter. I kept the remains and something powerful is emerging. More to come...

Texas Bindweed

I have been gathering cuttings of vines native to Texas to use in a new series of work. Among my favorites, is Texas bindweed. It's in the morning glory family and produces tiny white blooms with red centers. I found this particular vine thriving in a concrete-asphalt seam.

As I explore my own identity as a Tejana, I am working with this vine to create a few pieces meant to be worn, to adorn. I'm interested in how our bodies are forever linked to the place of our birth as well as our ability to flourish in new and challenging environments. As I work with this plant and learn more about its characteristics, I am also examining my own body: a soft body, a large body, a strong body, a body that's housed another body, a fat body, a powerful body, a body that takes up space, a Tejana body, a body that creates, an aging body, an abused body, a loved body, a sexual body, a body that has survived, a living body, a woman's body.

Texas bindweed 

Convolvulus equitans

Click on the link below to learn more about Texas bindweed

www.wildflower.org

Life and Death in the Garden

It has been a struggle lately to force my artwork into rectangles that hang flat on a wall. I feel a strong pull to create bodies that stand on their own. As I reflect on this, rethink previous boundaries, and open myself up to new ideas, I am also clearing out my garden to prepare for new growth. Spring cleaning all around! And right on cue, the garden provides (like always). As I cleared out old dead plant matter, these two forms emerged. I plan to experiment with them as the skeletons for sculptural work. I'm looking forward to a new direction.

philodendron trunk and roots

Texas bleeding heart vine and roots

Common Currents

I was invited to participate in the Common Currents exhibition at the Carver Community Cultural Center opening this Thursday, March 15th. Join us at the opening reception from 6-8pm. Please read below for more information about Common Currents.

Opening reception for Common Currents: 1918-1967 is an official San Antonio Tricentennial event. Opening night events will include visual art and performance works in the Jo Long Theatre. 


ABOUT COMMON CURRENTS
In celebration of San Antonio’s Tricentennial year, six downtown artist-centric organizations: Artpace San Antonio, Blue Star Contemporary, Carver Community Cultural Center, the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, the Mexican Cultural Institute, and Southwest School of Art, will partner to present an exhibition that will illuminate the 300 years of their hometown’s history. Common Currents is a diverse, encyclopedic showcase of San Antonio’s history as told and rewritten by more than 300 visual and performing artists, invited to participate by their peers, and presented over 6 venues.

Drawing on the connections or currents that run through San Antonio’s vibrant creative community, each of the organizing partners began by inviting two artists. These initial 12 artists were then asked to invite two peer artists, until more than 300 were amassed. All of the participating artists were assigned one year of San Antonio’s history on which to reflect in the development of their work for Common Currents. This exhibition is presented chronologically through a variety of contemporary media across the six venues.

Common Currents draws a portrait of San Antonio, by San Antonians. With the “chain letter-inspired” framework for the exhibition, each organization takes a backseat, letting the participating artists make decisions that may traditionally be the role of the organization or curator. This provides for an exciting presentation of artistic connections spanning our center city’s art venues. More information at commoncurrents.org



Please click on the link below for the Facebook event page.

Common Currents Opening Reception at the Carver Community Cultural Center

I was assigned the year 1959. The mixed textiles piece I have created focuses on the Tex-Son garment factory strike organized by Sophie Gonzales and the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union - Local 180 in San Antonio, Texas. 

This photograph of Gonzales accompanied an article about the strike in the San Antonio Light newspaper in 1959. Factory workers who opposed the strike threw dolls that resembled strikers at picket lines in an attempt at intimidation.

I created a portrait of Gonzales using bits and pieces of women's clothing and other sewing materials including pins and paper patterns. I look forward to sharing the final product as a part of this exhibition.

Books / Tools

Books are precious. I love to jump from book to book as my interest in a topic waxes and wanes. These gems are on my bedside table at the moment. In my artwork, I am currently exploring the serpent as a symbol in mythology, folklore, and my own dreams.

Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza by Gloria Anzaldua

Literary Witches: A Celebration of Magical Women Writers 

by Taisia Kitaiskaia and illustrated by Katy Horan

The Encyclopedia of Witches & Witchcraft by Rosemary Ellen Guiley

Design Motifs of Ancient Mexico by Jorge Enciso

The Art of Dreaming by Carlos Castaneda

Chicana Art: The Politics of Spiritual and Aesthetic Altarities 

by Laura E. Perez

Laura E. Perez discusses spirituality in Chicana art

Old Wounds

I am currently working on a series about trauma, healing, and transformation. The healing aspect was my initial focus, but I realized that in order to discuss healing, I have to address the trauma. So I am opening up some old wounds and properly cleaning them out. Being able to reveal these wounds on my own terms has been really empowering. As the work slowly unravels I am able to recognize the pain, appreciate it, make peace with it. This is the beginning of three fabric assemblages.

Healing and New Growth

I had a leftover nopal hand after carving and hanging my last batch. It had a substantial root system still attached, so I potted it in some soil. I am blown away by how it has regenerated. New baby pads are emerging! I am in the beginning phases of a new assemblage series about trauma, healing, and transformation. And this little hand inadvertently hit the nail on the head.

Precious Dead Things

I started collecting chicharra shells when I was little. During the summer months here in South Texas, these beautiful morphing insects leave behind little "ghosts" all over the place:  fragile, translucent evidence of transformation. I now feel that same awe as I observe the life cycle of plants within my garden. Some leave behind hollow skeletons after they die. And of course, I collect them. I will be assembling a wreath of these precious dead things. 

chicharra or cicada exuvia

clockwise from top: 

mystery seedpods, calla lilies, pitcher plants, 

magnolia seedpod, devil's trumpet

center: easter lily cactus

In the Lab

I have several experiments brewing in my garden at the moment. This is one of them. I hung some plastic rings in my jasmine vines. Every couple of days I wrap the new growth around the plastic ring a little more. Its creating a wreath that I hope to dry out and use as a sort of frame. 

Experiments in Self Portraiture

I create self portraits as a way to better understand myself, to bridge the gap between my physical appearance and the roles I play within my life. My self portraits always start with a photo. Then, I sketch. From the sketch I make a large scale paper pattern. I use the pattern to cut the pieces from paper or fabric. Finally, I piece all of the parts back together again. Here are some photos that may or may not turn into something bigger. Obviously, plants are my world. My identity is all tangled up within my garden.

mimosa tree shadow-mask

philodendron leaf crown

Gathering Supplies

I am in the process of collecting materials for new work. I am feeling very drawn to flesh tones lately. Here are a couple of vintage linens I bought from a local thrift shop. Thrift shops are where I do a majority of my art supply shopping.

New Batch

I've been working on a new batch of cactus hands. I'm expediting the decaying process by letting them dry out in the Texas summer sun rather than indoors. This group of hands is to be used in a series of assemblage work about trauma, healing, and transformation.

 wavy leaf prickly pear harvested from my own garden

I went smaller with this particular group

details

 letting the triple digit heat do its thing

I re-planted one of the carved hands to observe its rehabilitation

Collage Workshop this Saturday 3/26/16

Join me this Saturday for a collage workshop! Let's make some creepy stuff together....

"Hands are a prominent symbolic element in artist, Audrya Flores' work, and in this workshop, she will share her process for creating a "ghost hand" fabric and paper collage. Participants will be encouraged to explore this imagery by creating their own unique work of art."

Cost: $5 Suggested Donation, includes all materials and light refreshments. 

Space is Limited. 
Email stephtorressa@gmail.com to register.

Click on the link below for more info

Collage Workshop with Audrya Flores

Decay

I am including some of my completely decayed cactus hands in a large work-in-progress self portrait. This process of decay fascinates me. I actually prefer the hands in their dead, mummy like form.

PROGRESS on Devil's Trumpet

Things are coming together and my studio, much like my brain, has almost reached capacity. I am creating every piece for this show using fabric, lace, leather, pins, cactus, and seeds. Please join me at Provenance Gallery on Saturday, March 12th for the opening. Here are some progress shots:

lace ghost hands taking shape 

black safety pin cactus spines 

an all-seeing eye 

a house from a recurring childhood dream made of leather scraps 

 tiny morbid things

leather skull

 lots of gold in this show

 snipping pins to better fit the thickness of the cork board I use as a canvas

gold velvet panne nopal 

Navigating the Dreamworld

I am currently creating a series of self portraits that explore my process of using lucid dreams to create art and address emotional issues. I am experimenting with a variety of materials.

These are the lace cuffs and collar of a vintage blouse I used to create the nightgown below.

The flesh is represented by upcycled leather.

An old pillowcase has turned into a tiny blouse and skirt.

This is a seedpod from a coral bean tree. It will represent an all-seeing eye.