Today we’d like to introduce you to Tori Solis.
Tori, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve been an artist for as long as I can remember. I was the kid who always wanted art supplies for gifts, and spent most of my time at my art table. Creating has always been a part of what I do, and how I live. My family was supportive of my creativity, though, no one, including myself considered it as a career path when I was young. I attended college at Jacksonville University in Florida. My major was originally marine science, but I switched to a business major after my first year. Art electives were a required part of the curriculum. At the time, I had a very busy schedule, and I wasn’t particularly picky about what class I took. Painting ended up being available in a time slot that fit my schedule. I studied painting under Jack Turnock, and I have him greatly to thank for who I am as an artist today. I enjoyed his painting class so much that I took every 2D class I could that Professor Turnock offered at JU. He taught me how to paint, and how to think about art and painting in a different way.
Halfway through my college education, I had to move to Texas for personal reasons. I got caught up in life and didn’t finish out my college education. My focus was on a career with a corporation in retail management. Thankfully, that did not work out. When everything hit the fan with my corporate job and I quit, I ended up having my art to fall back on. I attended an infamous “wine and sip” painting class with my mom in Wills Point, Texas. I was not, and I am still not a huge fan of those events. After a series of serendipitous events, I ended up being the owner and lead artist of that studio.
My studio was a subtenant for a boutique, and I hosted painting class called “Painting on the Bricks” for a little over a year. While teaching there, I used to have a very popular “paint your own pet night”. I discovered that I thoroughly enjoyed painting pet portraits. I painted my first ever pet portraits in that studio space. In the end, my business was a success. However, the boutique where I was renting space ended up closing for business. I wasn’t a huge fan of the “paint and sip” setup and decided to end that chapter of my art career with the boutique.
I decided that I would focus solely on taking pet portrait commission orders. I started calling my business “Blue Nose Trading” and I started participating in markets, events and doing live demos of pet portrait painting. To this day, I still take pet portrait commissions, and they are one of my favorite things to do as an artist. As of 2021 I have been recording the process videos of my pet portrait paintings and posting them to my Blue Nose Trading YouTube channel.
Blue Nose Trading is named after my Staffordshire bull terrier, or “blue nose pitbull”, Azuci. A portrait I painted of her face is my logo. I work artistically under my own name, Tori Solis, but I brand my entire body of activity and work as Blue Nose Trading. Over the years, my body of work has expanded from painting into several other outlets and attempted outlets of creative expression. For a short stent, I experimented in making soaps, lotions, and dog treats.
In 2019, I started working in jewelry design. I wanted to work with natural products, that were ethically sourced, to create an idea for a series of work that I had in my mind. My ideas around my jewelry design involved combining my aesthetic, with the symbolic meaning of the gemstones I was working with. I studied endless sources of information about differing opinions of the symbolic meanings of different stones and crystals. I compiled all of the information into a single sheet that I still use as a reference today. I cross-referenced this information with information from my deep-dive studies into astrology to match the symbolic energies of the stones, to the energies of the planets, signs, and houses. I also have made some pairings that match other general energy themes, such as femininity and masculinity. I worked on this collection from 2019 to 2021. In 2021, my “empath energy shield” necklace was a prize winner in the Rowlett Small Works Art Show. This collection is still available on my website for purchase, but my current creative focus has shifted into ceramics.
Currently, my creative energy has been placed into the study of ceramic artwork. I am enrolled in classes at the Dallas Creative Arts Center, as well as the Dallas College to study ceramics. I have been spending time practicing at the wheel, as well as sculpting, studying independently, and generally immersing myself into the medium. I am at the beginning of a new chapter in my artistic career today. I have not lost or forsaken everything I have learned up to this point, but as a part of natural growth, I am continuing to learn new ways to manifest my ideas. I have many ideas for different ceramic sculptures, functional wares, and concepts. I am currently working to master the skills needed to bring forth my ideas into reality.
As an artist, I fully recognize that I am a human on a journey through life. Life is endless learning and endless exploration of my creativity. I am not the kind of person to stop in one place and never move forward. I believe that as artists, it is essential for our spirits to continue to chase our creative ideas wherever they may take us. These ideas can take us into different mediums, countries, lifestyles, and circumstances. I have been documenting and sharing my journey through my creativity on my video vlog on my YouTube channel “Blue Nose Trading”. Documenting and sharing my journey through video has been a journey and experience all unto itself. I am here for the journey, and as long as I am following the voice inside my soul, I know I won’t be disappointed with where I end up because every day is a good day. Having good days leads to having good weeks, good weeks make good months, good months make good years, and good years make up a good life.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Nothing ever seems smooth when you are doing it, at least not for me. However, when I look back at the path I have taken, everything was necessary. Time gives you perspective, and without that perspective, it is hard to make sense of much of anything. I have stopped trying to make sense of where I am going. I put my faith that everything I go through, the good and the bad, are taking me to where I need to go. As long as I use my true inner voice as a compass to guide my decisions, I always end up somewhere wonderful. Every day, I just live for that one day. I do the best I can to work on what can be done, and to be the kindest human I can be for that day. I am thankful for where I am today. Everything I have been through has led me to this point. Having struggles is a part of being human; how we handle them determines our character, our outlook, and ultimately our outcome.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I find it hard to label myself as an artist, mostly because I am a constantly evolving and growing artist. These days I call myself a “studio visual artist”. In my paintings, I specialize in acrylic canvas pet portraits. I have created a series of jewelry featuring metaphysical themes and natural materials. I am currently studying ceramics and pottery, and most interested in planters and sculptures with heavy surface design. I have won awards in painting, jewelry design, and photography, however, I am most proud of how I allow myself the freedom to follow my ideas across mediums. It would be easy to win an award in a specific area, and never move past that area. My restlessness sets me apart from others. I am dedicated, hardworking, and willing to give my full effort into anything I do, but I don’t see myself as alone in that. What sets me apart is that fact that I am me. Chasing my ideas, wherever they take me, with the sheer purpose to see them into manifestation, is my defining characteristic. I believe that what sets any artist apart from any artist is that they are themselves. There is only one of each of us, and when an artist is following that deep and true inspiration, it shows. You set yourself apart by being yourself, and not trying to be anyone else, no matter what.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Any decision made in fear, greed, or in contradiction to your true self will lead you down the wrong path. Always stay true to yourself, and never allow fear to sway how you make your choices. It doesn’t mean you can’t be afraid, just that sometimes you will have to do things that take courage.
Contact Info:
- Email: bluenosetrading@aol.com
- Website: https://www.bluenosetrading.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluenosetrading
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bluenosetrading
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bluenosetrading
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BlueNoseTrading
- Other: https://www.patreon.com/bluenosetrading
