Looking at her work, Torres has taken her education in architecture and found a way to masterfully interlace it with her love for ceramics producing pieces with a unique structural quality. “I was originally trained as an architect. I took a break to get an MBA and when it was time to go back to creating, I started working with clay, only to discover that creating space at a much smaller scale and under my own directive suits me better. I am always looking at natural and industrial patterns. My background in architecture shows up often when creating new forms.” Her work illustrates an interesting and dynamic balancing act between the structural integrity her pieces have and the delicate aesthetic they evoke. Torres has written for Ceramics Monthly about her process, and in the December issue described it: “The desire for sturdy vessels that look delicate inspired Sandra Torres to make her work using slip-casting techniques. Interest in unglazed surfaces led her to develop a palette using soluble salts to create watercolor-like effects.” In her artist statement, Torres described the inspirations that have led to her current work; “Functionality, ergonomics, repetition, nature and the intrinsic characteristics of the material bring to life my porcelain work. Contrast of varied color shades, their softness and sharp edges along with linear abstract motifs, result in a dramatic chromatic composition in contrast to the white surface of the porcelain. The character of my current work resides in the exploration of small but significant variations of shape, size and patterns.”

However, the road to success hasn’t been without it’s bumps along the way. Torres recalled the struggle to find acceptance within the United States for the artistic processes she loved that seemed more common-place in Europe; “Slip casting has been used to create art in Europe for a long time. When I returned to the USA from my internship with Pieter Stockmans, slip casting was the ugly duckling of ceramics, with a big bad stigma for being an industrial process. Fortunately, this has changed and more and more people in the USA have been exploring this technique.” Torres has skillfully overcome obstacles and found amazing success doing what she loves.

Torres hopes that her work and her story inspires other artists to understand that the appreciation of different processes and the determination to overcome adversity is just par for the course when it comes to being an artist; “I hope that people are inspired by different ways of working, without prejudice and with curiosity. The artistic journey, like any other is bumpy, it is not always easy, and it involves a great deal of other skills (social, marketing, etc.) to be able to get the work out there.” Torres explained that the question she had for other artists looking to grow was: “How would you reinvent yourself to achieve your goals?” Sandra Torres has proven that among the many tools an artist must have in their wheelhouse, courage of conviction and a belief in your processes are among the most important. She is an amazing artist whose work speaks for itself in terms of inspiration, creative endeavors, and of course, beauty.