Toria Maldonado
ABOUT THE ARTIST
I’m a multidisciplinary visual artist from and currently based in Long Beach, California on Tongva land. My pronouns are they/them. I make figurative portraits and digital illustrations that address contemporary issues and reference the intersection of my Mexican-Japanese American lineage and my non-binary trans identity. My work often depicts vulnerable and intimate settings that underly my need for connection with others; coping with grief, trauma, and loss are consistent bases in my practice. I employ different methods like collage, painting, printmaking, and photography to conceptualize ideas into physical and emotional explorations. The motivation behind my art-making is typically initiated by issues I fixate on to either engage, challenge, or to better understand. In my practice, I’ve learned to use many creative tools to cope with both personal and communal struggles.
In 2019, I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Studio Art from California State University, of Long Beach. My work has been exhibited in El Comalito Collective’s Black & Brown Bodies With Plants II, Flatline gallery’s In The Now Figurative and at LMBA Downtown’s Juried Photography Exhibition. I have freelanced with organizations like Nalgona Positivity Pride, and its online boutique Seeds from the Flesh, and Latinx 4 Social Movement. Currently, I’m collaborating with the owners of Plantiitas and selling art and merchandise at their second business, Plantiitas Market. I will have work displaying at South Gate Museum for their Flowers For You – Flores para ti exhibition starting March 25, 2023, while creating new works for my upcoming solo show, “Tough to Be Tender” (date TBD).
