Ysanel Torres is an artist and member of AS220 Youth. Her show, My Art is My Religion opens on Thursday, September 12th from 5-7pm at the AS220 Youth gallery on the second floor of 115 Empire Street! Nick Carter sat down with her recently.

What are the things you think about when you are making art?
While I make, I think about my life and what I want, how I feel, and how others will relate to my art. I think about how I can show exactly how I feel.

Do you have a favorite medium?
Well, I haven’t tried them all yet, so I haven’t decided. Who knows? I want to try it all.

Why do you make art?
At first, it just came naturally. Now, it’s a movement that I have to be a part of, that I’m meant to be a part of. Making art is like another kind of language for people.

What is your inspiration?
People who have never been inspired.

How do you imagine your creative practice in five years?
Continuously making art – not just for myself but for others. I want to be successful which I think means feeling like my art is important to people. Like, I want legit reasons to do this. I want to know that my art means something to other people as well.

How do you feel about your gallery show?
Well, it’s the first series of art I made after kind of finding myself as an artist, so I’m really proud of myself. This is the first layer of me that has been explored in terms of art. It’s only the beginning.

Check out Ysanel’s artwork this month in the AS220 Youth Gallery!