Interview
Victoria (Tory) Voner
For the last 5 years or so, Tory has tunneled her focus into her love of painting for herself and where her passions lie. She has come full circle by turning back to nature, and inward introspectively with the chaos of the world happening all around. Impressionism, color, and texture are all of her favorite tools, challenging herself in a different way with every painting. Acrylic is her medium of choice, and the larger the pieces get, the more expression she has to utilize.
She started painting and creating at a young age, expressing her love of the mountains in Vermont and the oceans of the east coast. Travelling to most of the National Parks in the United States was a family endeavor, which blossomed her love of nature and the preservation of all these beautiful places.
Tory went to school at Umass Dartmouth for illustration. She then worked for an event decor company as a designer, self-taught. Tory now works at MIT Lincoln Laboratory as a specialist designer. She has also obtained a graphic design certificate from Massachusetts College of Art and Design. She is currently a member of the Whistler Museum, the Brush Gallery, and the Arts League of Lowell.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“At a very young age, my father taught me how to paint in the mountains of Vermont, which is where my heart really belongs. About 5 years ago, inspired by the mountains in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, I found myself catapulted into the art world again. It has been a therapeutic journey for me, as I have been coping with a pretty severe anxiety disorder that leaves me bedridden sometimes with migraines and dizziness. The more I paint and reflect, the better I feel. The more time in nature, the better. Immersing myself in the woods on hikes and trips to the ocean also keeps me sane. Putting what I feel onto the canvas extends this experience even further, and it’s my hope that these pieces will bring peace to someone else in their homes. Mental health is something that our country is sorely lacking, so pushing through that barrier to help someone brings me peace and happiness.”
What inspires you most?
“Spirituality is something that I have been inspired by, more and more. I think many of us don't realize how important it truly is. I didn't either long ago. Meditation is something that I have been getting better at, and traveling to natural locations in my imagination has definitely been something that has been fueling my current pieces. People who speak from their heart and try to change our world for the better inspire me every day.”
“I feel that artists tend to be the result of what their culture has done to them, and what their environment was like growing up. As artists, we try to make society more aware of what is going on in their own backyards, to wake them up. I see this happening even more as a result of the many additional stressors in our environment, and in our culture as a whole.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“I am always trying to capture the energy of a place or feeling. Our Earth is a fragile place, and I feel much of our society has been sticking their heads in the sand. I am trying to show the beauty that this Earth really has to offer, and to treasure it. To make the viewer realize that all they have to do is stop and look around. There is beauty everywhere, if you look hard enough. With everything that's been going on the last few years, I think everyone needs a moment of peace like that as often as possible. Sometimes I push into social commentary pieces when I feel strongly enough about it, and have a vision I can put onto canvas.”
How would you describe your work?
“My work is very impressionistic, using as much energy and color as possible. Making my pieces shine, pushing color and doing my best to make every brushstroke count is usually the goal for me. The other goal I keep in mind is to make myself better with every painting I pursue. This keeps the journey very exciting and challenging for me.”
Which artists influence you most?
“Pretty much any and all of the impressionists are who have inspired the color and texture of my pieces. Rembrandt, Sargent, Francis Bacon, Leyendecker, and Rockwell are a few others.
I started out working in illustration in college, and so many illustrators also inspire my work. Locally, I am inspired by Angela Alés, Bethany Peck, Jean Winslow, and Pamela Wamala. African artists, like my friend Adjei Adjetey of Multi-Hue Systems also inspire me.”
What is your creative process like?
“I tend to approach all of my pieces a little differently. Lately, I’ve been using a lot of my sister’s photos for inspiration, especially if I happened to have been with her at the time it was taken. That way, I know what the environment felt like, which almost always fuels my paintings. Sometimes I do plein air paintings. Other times, I draw with markers on site and then paint from only my drawing, so that I do not get lost in the details. There are times I finish a painting in a few hours. Other times it can take months with the piece just sitting there, because I’m not sure where to take it next.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“‘Nature's Aura: An Atmospheric Exploration’ was my very first solo show last year! You can read about it here.”
