“Impresiones” is a 14-part collection by Salvador de la Torre exploring their experiences as a trans person and a Mexican artist raised in Texas. On October 1, de la Torre visited the Kellogg Library on special invitation by CSUSM’s librarians. They received a warm welcome, as they were introduced by staff and accompanied by their dog, Vida.

De la Torre’s talk focused on their previous artwork and the current exhibit, ‘Impresiones’. In a conversational tone, they untangled their work by sharing stories from their life as a young Mexican girl, their break from tradition in college, and their journey of embracing queerness.

They talked about how, after their first break up, embroidery was an outlet for exploring and accepting their lesbianism and transness. The embroidery was both an exercise in processing emotion and a homage to their grandmother who gave them the handkerchiefs they embroidered on. Eventually, it was also their way to translate their queerness into a language their mother could understand.

De la Torre describes their mother kindly, as a significant influence for their artistry, a “magical person” who didn’t have the opportunity to express her creativity. Her storytelling stuck with de la Torre; they shared a specific tale about her shoes, where she crossed the border with a nice pair of red high heels to meet her husband – de la Torre’s father- only for the shoes to be damaged beyond repair. These shoes haunted de la Torre, eventually leading to a performance art piece where de la Torre recreated their mother’s shoes to walk in, each step another crack in the metaphorical egg of transness.

By the end of their talk, it is apparent that de la Torre loves what they do with how they beam with love for their art, their family, and their heritage.

Following de la Torre’s inspiring talk, I had the opportunity to participate in a hands-on workshop where de la Torre guided us through the process of creating our own print stamps. This experience was a welcomed break from a demanding week of midterms and endless studying. As we gathered around The Makery, de la Torre’s passion for art was palpable. They encouraged each of us to explore our creativity, making the atmosphere both inviting and fun.

Throughout the workshop, I appreciated their engaging teaching style. They patiently walked us through each step, from designing our stamps, to the proper way to hold the tools and carve our design to making the actual print. It was easy to see how they fostered a sense of community among the participants, making sure that we all felt welcomed and knew that artistic exploration mattered.

By the end of the session, not only did I leave with a unique print of my own, but I also felt a deeper connection with the creative process. And while I am not the best at drawing, de la Torre’s encouragement made it easy to try a design that I might otherwise have been intimidated by. It was a perfect way to unwind and reflect on the themes of identity and heritage that de la Torre had shared with us earlier.

Overall, the combination of de la Torre’s insightful storytelling, or chisme as they said, and the hands-on workshop created a memorable experience that reinforced my appreciation for art as a means of personal expression even if it’s not perfect. For anyone interested in exploring these themes further, de la Torre’s exhibit “Impresiones” can be viewed in person at the library’s third floor exhibit space until December 15.