Artist Bio

Maria Toro

I am a self-taught artist, residing in Seattle, Washington. While my roots are in Seattle, I have definitely not been content with just staying put. Travels have taken me throughout Holland, Spain, Italy, Jamaica, The Bahamas and my favorite place to relax, Hawaii. While I am not traveling, I can be found at my private massage practice (located in Queen Anne), dinner parties with my favorite friends, walking my fabulous Standard Poodle, Mollie, at Discovery Park or one of my very favorite spots, my in home art studio.

When I first began to paint, I did it for me and me only. Art is the way in which I express my most personal thoughts, emotions and my journey through life. Soon enough this private form of self-expression was being noticed by my friends and family. You can imagine my surprise when they started making offers for my creations. I love seeing my art being shared and displayed for the public. It is such an honor. As more and more people showed interest in my work, I consulted my astrologer to make sure all of the stars were aligned. It was said that art is my path and I will experience great success by sharing it. People measure success in many different ways but for me, it is measured by loving what I am doing and how I am doing it. With this attitude and support, M. Toro art has really taken off.

Mixed media is my specialty, using everything from latex, acrylic, polyurethane, water, paper and even a dash of glitter to create a completed piece. My inspiration is garnered through my previous work and close connection with coffee. Similarly to how people look to the sky to find various objects hidden in the clouds, I look to the ripples in my coffee cup. The pictures I see are vivid. The foam adds texture, the flavoring adds color and in each natural wave or deliberate swirl, I see something new. My hope is that my paintings allow others to discover their own images. As I paint, not much is preplanned. My only intention is to paint the emotions I am experiencing from a song. Whether it is love, hate or something in between, these emotions can be measured in the layers of paint that contribute to the final product. My art is abstract but I believe that the emotions are clear and real to everyone. I like to think of my paintings as emotional impressions for observation.

My art continues to evolve with time, as do I but one thing that will always stay the same is my sincere sense of accomplishment, peace and gratitude; when I am lucky enough to capture the appreciation of an onlooker. I love to lend my art to local businesses for display, as well as donate them to charities I am passionate about. As long as my art is being shared and evoking curiosity, I am thrilled.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me at: mtoro13@yahoo.com or 206-941-8560, to inquire about my art or to set up a viewing at my art gallery.