Meet Toral Patel | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Toral Patel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Toral, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was born in Queens, NY, and my love of all things art stems from my childhood there in the 70’s and 80’s. As a young girl, I found this dynamic, colorful era inspiring and energizing. Art was all around visually, from graffiti on buildings and subways of New York to the panoramic scenes at Flushing Meadows Park. I was always drawn to color and shapes that were not only created by people, but also by nature. Exploring flowers at a park or staring endlessly at the shapes that clouds form were some of my favorite childhood pastimes. I was lucky enough to be raised by parents that not only recognized but also supported my creative energy. My earliest memories are ones of my engineer/architect father often times bringing design work home. He would create beautiful buildings and structures while ensuring their detailed accuracy and I would sit alongside him with my colorful supplies trying to emulate him. He worked with a delicate balance between creativity grounded by practicality. It is this process and balance that I try to carry into my art today.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My work is about creating a sense of feeling and connection between nature and imagination. The organic qualities of my paintings come from constant construction and deconstruction during the process. My goal is to ultimately create something that lies at the tipping point of abstract and familiarity inviting its viewers to use their own life experiences and insight to evoke an emotion unique to them. We all have our individual journeys and mine certainly has not been a conventional one. While I’ve always felt a strong connection to art and it has always been a part of my life, my career journey did not start in the arts. As an adult, I started off with a successful career as a pharmacist. It wasn’t until many years later, that I finally decided to pursue my passion and turn it into a business. Starting my art career later in life coupled with the fact that I get to do something that I truly love has enabled me to find confidence and joy in my second career; something that I feel may not have been achieved as easily had I done it in my younger years. My scientific background has also led me to utilize both sides of my brain which in turn helps balance the chaotic, vibrant world of abstract with an analytical and perceptive method. In the end, I hope neither side overpowers the other in my artwork leaving enough room for its viewer to arrive at the vertex of familiarity and abstractionism.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I absolutely love the central NJ area that I live in. Not only is there so much to do locally, but in less than an hour, I can be in some of the most exciting, vibrant cities such as NYC and Philadelphia. It truly is the perfect location.

Day 1- We’d start our week off by exploring Asbury Park, NJ. It is known for not only its music and restaurant scene, but also some of the best street art. There are hidden treasures to find everywhere. The murals along the boardwalk on the beach are awe-inspiring. We’d end our day with dinner at ‘The Black Swan Public House’. This restaurant is in a historic building that was once a post office and later a bank. The former bank’s vault still remains today and adds to the charm of the place.

Day 2- We’d head to the big apple!! There are countless art galleries to explore in the Chelsea Arts District. From here, we would head to SoHo and walk around the cobblestone streets (and maybe even squeeze a little shopping in). Our day would not be complete without grabbing a delicious slice on NYC pizza- best eaten hot while walking and exploring other parts of the city.

Day 3- We would continue our adventures in NYC by starting the morning off with a walk in Central Park with a cup of coffee. We could probably spend the whole day just exploring the park, but we’d head over to the Metropolitan Museum Art in the afternoon and spend the rest of the day at this amazing museum.

Day 4- Back in NJ, we’d spend the day relaxing at the Jersey shore. There are some hidden gems such as Avon-by-the-Sea where we can spend the whole day unwinding by the ocean.

Day 5- This day would be dedicated to exploring some of the beautiful vineyards NJ has such as Laurita Winery which often times has special events at the vineyard. Hopefully we’d be able to catch one of the many concerts they host or their food truck festival.

Day 6- We’d be off to another amazing city in close proximity- Philadelphia! There is so much history in this culturally rich city. We’d do the revolution and founders walking tour to learn about and explore some of what the city has to offer. After all that walking, we’d of course treat ourselves to the famous Philly cheesesteak.

Day 7-Once again, back to NJ to unwind after a full week of fun and excitement. Our unwinding would be in the form of retail therapy at some of the big malls that we have in the Garden state such as Short Hills Mall. It’s filled with amazing shops where everyone can find something they love!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I can honestly say that I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for my family. From the beginning, my parents showed me their support by proudly hanging up every drawing/painting I created regardless of how display worthy it may have been. My husband with his carpentry skills has helped me tackle all the time consuming tasks that I like to put off, from framing, canvas stretching, wiring etc. so that I can have more time to do what I love- paint! I would have also been lost without the help of my beautiful teenage daughters when it came time to create a website and social media presence. Their knowledge in this area has been invaluable. And last but not least, thank you to my older brother and his subpar art skills, it’s what initially made me realize the value of my artwork, lol…it’s ok though, he’s got amazing talent in mostly all other areas…I can be the artist in the family!

Website: www.toralpatelart.com

Instagram: @toralpatelart