Toria Baez

Toria Baez

Toria Baez is a visual artist based in Urbana, Illinois, working in painting, illustration, and quilting. She moved from Chicago to complete her degree in art education at the University of Illinois and chose to stay – for a slower pace of life, nature, and local arts culture.

Toria likes to create artwork with the hope it will offer people a moment of joy or delight. Her paintings often draw inspiration from the beauty of flowers. This subject matter allows her to focus on playing with shape and color to create interesting organic shapes. Her illustrations are inspired by motherhood and her infant daughter, often depicting silly baby moments or playful imagery akin to nursery art. Her quilts are an exploration of repurposing second hand or cherished textiles, mixing shapes to form patterns and color combinations. These labors of love are usually intended for family and friends, especially for expectant or new parents.

Toria hopes that everyday life and motherhood will continue to inspire her work. She plans to continue featuring paintings and prints in her local community, while also dedicating more time to illustration – with the long term goal of illustrating children’s books.

Installation Description:

Parenting is a challenging job, but along the way there are many moments of whimsy and joy. When our children notice the world around them, its beauty is revived for us, and if we’re lucky, our ability to notice, see, and take it all in is heightened. As babies age, caregivers experience cute moments that arise from babies simply exploring the world. If you’ve spent time with children, you might be aware of how easy it is to personify objects and animals, and your storytelling skills may have strengthened as well.

“Nursery Art & The Heart of Parenting” is an art project meant to acknowledge the joy parents share with their children, document it through art, and share it with the community. Through interviews, I listened and noticed where imagery arose across individual child rearing experiences. I then made personalized nursery-esque artwork based on each parent’s experience. These creations will be shared during Boneyard and into early May in honor of Mother’s Day. For those interested in purchasing a work of art for themselves or as a Mother’s Day gift, I will have prints from my newsletter, “art as i go…”, original floral paintings, and illustrations for sale.