Dina Torrans
Dina Torrans explores the world through new perspectives. She creates forms and shapes inspired by her everyday life and discoveries. For her, she says, “each moment is a once in a lifetime experience.” Her work brings us on a realistic journey to our imagination. Dina’s work is inspired by the presence of nature in and around us. Finding beauty and curiosity in the little things, such as a simple stroll through the forest. Her approach to sculpture can motivate and inspire the spectators to see the little things, to witness the tiny miracles: a flower fighting its way out of concrete in the busy city or even a plant in our home blooming, growing, and ever-changing.
Pure nature is stunning and healing but in our society we are often not surrounded by this deep part of our world. This does not mean, though, that we cannot find it in our everyday lives. Dina shows us how to see new and old wonders of our existence and that we do not need a big hit by the universe to be inspired by it. It can be a simple red bug with black dots climbing its way up to a better view, or a plant letting its seed find the ground to continue the circle of growth. Dina’s work brings memories to life of children playing in the woods and absorbing all the wonderful distractions of nature, seeing a very special plant, and wanting to carry it home and observe it with a magnifying glass. Dina manages to merge preciseness with the freedom of experiencing life.
This playfulness is also visible in Cy Twombly’s work. Cy Twombly was an artist from the United States who contributed to an art movement that was born from the Abstract Expressionism of the 1950s. His work can be described as colourful happenings, like games between the artist and his material. Painting and sculptures that make the spectator curious and lead the way to an inner-child experience of being absorbed by the moment, forgetting time and place. These details can also be found in Dina’s sculptures. They are absorbing and open doors to an imaginary mindset. Looking at her work is a fairy-tale story on its own.
Dina Torrans is a Toronto-based artist and has been working in multimedia arts for more than 25 years. She graduated from the Art Centre at Central Technical School in Toronto and has received multiple awards throughout her career. Her large body of work has been exhibited in multiple solo and juried group exhibitions at various galleries, notably the Canadian Sculpture Centre, Fischtein Fine Art, John B. Aird Gallery, Elaine Fleck Gallery, and Artscape Toronto. Her work is included in many private and public collections internationally.
Dina Torrans is the Silver Artist of the ArtAscent Gardens call for artists. To see the full body of work and profile, get a copy of the ArtAscent Art & Literature Journal Gardens issue.
