Tania Torres
Muralist/Graphic Designer
Birth & Work:
Born May 9, 1982 in Chicago, IL and raised by two of the most incredible humans alive in one of the city’s most dangerous neighborhoods- Humboldt Park. Specializing in large scale, photorealistic, graphite portraits, Tania's biggest influence is Chuck Close. Other influences found in their acrylic works and mural commissions are: Jean-Michel Basquiat, Yayoi Kusama, Georgia O’Keefe, Mark Rothko, and Frida Kahlo to name a few.
In between commissions, Tania keeps busy with creating logos, social media content and branding strategies for startup companies and businesses looking to revamp their look.
When commissioned, Tania is adding beauty to the homes and businesses of all their clients. The community mural projects, private commissions and public/ commercial projects keep them traveling abroad, both internationally and within the US.
Life
Military| 2000:
Enlisting into the U.S. Navy directly after High School graduation, at the age of 18 years, Tania served as an Information Systems Technician and excelled very early gaining two ranks while in bootcamp, a third rank in the early stages of their first assignment, and nominated for Junior Sailor of the Year before deciding to prematurely terminate their enlistment because it became clear to them that while the military allowed to enjoy the empowering benefits of being ambitious, self-expression and independent thinking were highly frowned upon.
Dentistry| 2002:
The next 15 years were gifted to the dental industry spending the first five as a Dental Assistant and the last ten honing her graphic design skills as a Certified Dental Lab Technician. Towards the end of her journey designing dental prosthesis, Tania realized the potential for becoming a dentist and enrolled into Chicago’s best Community College- Harold Washington College.
Move to California| 2019:
Upon completion of their Associate’s Degree in Biological Sciences, Tania’s next move was to transfer to university at one of the best dental programs in the United States: University of Southern California. In 2019, the four day drive from Chicago to Costa Mesa, CA was complete and “The Plan” was put into motion.
Covid-19/ Black Lives Matter Movement| 2020:
Like many others, Tania’s career, schooling, and sanity were put on a very abrupt hold and the enforced, introspective time-off gave way to their imagination and creativity. In the wake of a world-wide pandemic, Black Lives Matter movement, and Trump administration, Tania was moved to create pieces that both empowered the black community and raised awareness to the injustice they, and many other brown, queer, non-binary folk faced on a daily basis. Thus, the decision to pursue a career in the arts… and ultimately, the birth of this page that you’re reading right now. As tragic as the global pandemic was, it also proved to be a necessary pause for reflection, growth and global healing- as well as, the birth of a new era of art both meaningful and beautiful!
Tampa, Fl | 2021
After procuring an LLC license to officiate their art business, Tania decided to put all their energy into their art and made the choice to move to Florida where they are currently perfecting/ learning more about their craft, developing new styles, and basking in the sunlight that is their true purpose: creating small moments of healing for a significant shift in humanity.