Avant Guardians

By Leticia Gonzales

Inspired to connect

Mirella Noeli Torres uses art to reach BIPOC community

Like many people, Mirella Noeli Torres tried to make the most of the isolation associated with the COVID-19 pandemic by picking up a new hobby.

“There wasn’t anything to do so I just started to get some paints and some canvases,” she said. “I decided to paint what came to mind and what I saw that was inspiring.”

Torres, 21, always had an interest in art while growing up in St. Peter. Despite art being her favorite subject, she never had the chance to study the craft outside of school. Creating art continued to fill her free time after the COVID restrictions were lifted. She displayed her art for the first time last October during the Dia de los Muertos festival in Mankato. She also sold her first piece at the event. It was there that she met Brenda Byron, the executive director of the Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council.

“She offered me a scholarship through the PLRAC to buy some art supplies,” Torres said. “I bought some paints and more canvases and have been painting more.”

Since then, she has created about 35 paintings.

“It’s a mountain with the sun. It’s an abstract painting. It’s a lot of patterns and bright colors.”

Some of her favorite subjects revolve around flowers and butterflies. Since her debut selling her art at the Dia de los Muertos festival, Torres has begun selling her latest creations on her Instagram page, as well as at a local yoga studio.

“Just trying to spread my art has been kind of hard.”

Trying to get people to engage in what they like to Mirella Noeli’s work uses vibrant colors and bold lines.

purchase has also been a struggle, as Torres said it would be helpful to receive more feedback from potential buyers.

The backgrounds of her art often feature spray paint. Torres also likes to incorporate glitter at the top of her paintings and adorns her paintings with foils to give them a shine factor.

This past summer, she worked with the Spark Mobile Art Studio throughout the St. Peter community. The program targets the BIPOC community (Black, Indigenous and people of color).

Torres said she spent a lot of time visiting mobile home parks in the city, bringing different art projects to children there each week. From collaging to printing and sculptures, Torres said the program provided multiple art activities.

“It was a very significant experience for them,” she said. “I could see the curiosity and the joy that it brought them. A lot of these kids don’t have the opportunity to do art from home for fun.”

The experience brought Torres back to her own upbringing, which didn’t allow for much art creation at home. The mobile art program is a positive change for children.

“I could see a lot of the kids enjoying it. This is

something they can do to feel happy and spread joy.”

With more experience under her belt, Torres is working on larger pieces, with hopes of creating a mural in the near future. She would also like to make stronger connections within the art field.

“Collaborating with more local artists and working on things together would for sure help with learning and growing with what I can do with my art and how I can share my art.”

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