Dream State
To expand his vision as a photographer and director, Brad Torchia has developed a daily mixed-media practice that prioritizes exploration over perfection.
Sometime around mid-afternoon I go into a creative space I’ve set up in my backyard. It’s a simple arrangement: a table and a wooden chair that I bought at a garage sale for $1 because I liked the white paint that had been dripped on it, presumably while someone painted a room many years ago. The table is surrounded by plants that I’ve put into the ground or pots—lavender, sage, bird of paradise… I'm in the sunlight, without shoes or socks or shirt.
I sit down and listen to music on my AirPods. There are a handful of albums that I tend to really gravitate toward, including Glassworks by Philip Glass, Music for 18 Musicians by Steve Reich, and i,i by Bon Iver. I drink matcha tea and sit for a few minutes, getting connected to it all and feeling the energy flowing.
I use a combination of materials, including acrylic and oil paint, lead and colored pencils, pastels, tape, plastic, paper, and canvas. The pieces I make are built on a few starting points. Often, it's a passing sight that called to me, but it can also be a memory, a thought, a group of words, or notes I made.
To me, there is overlap here with my photography. These pieces deal with similar aspects of color, gesture, light, composition, and translating a feeling. For me, they're not done until I have photographed them and they’ve gone through the filter once more.
This process helps shape my work and how I see the world, allows me to constantly evolve and refine my vision, and helps me stay in the state of being that is required to create. Like the camera, it’s a vehicle to deeper understanding.
