Torrey James Lystra is an American born painter and draftsman. He completed his undergraduate degree in painting and drawing at the University of CA at Santa Barbara and worked on his Masters in the above at San Diego State University. 

He seeks to translate with his art many of his personal experiences into universal terms to help decipher the fundamental components of human existence. 

Torrey was adopted and trained as a "Sacred Man" by shaman/healer Wallace Black Elk, during his years of work as a Supervising Park Ranger and Naturalist. His surrealistic paintings and drawings reflect many of those sacred experiences from that practice.

He also has worked in an abstract expressionist mode for many years that engages the eye in a process that is akin to listening. It involves attention to consecutive passages, an interest in rhythmic structures that he spatially articulates, and utilizes color to achieve modulations that can be subtly chromatic or dramatically contrasted.

His melodic surfaces are meant to evoke a well written symphony. 

All paintings copyright © 2009 Torrey J Lystra - www.torreyjameslystra.com