T O R R E Y   J A M E S   L Y S T R A

"Orca"

Gig Harbor artist Torrey James Lystra graduated with honors from the University of Califbrnia at Santa Barbara in painting and drawing. He has won awards in juried shows and his paintings hang in private collections in several parts of the world. While working as a Park Ranger and Naturalist for the park service in the back country of San Diego, California he designed and developed Wilderness Gardens Preserve a 650 acre natural botanical garden and wilderness camping facility. He lived on this property for seven years with his family and conducted frequent nature tours, seriiinars on edible plants, birds, history and taught about our relationship to the beauty of Narure. It was here that he was initiated into the ways of the Chanupa (Sacred Pipe) by Spiritual Elders. He was given a personal look at Native American Sacraimental Life and was eventually asked to be a pipe carrier: a channel to divine and earthly wisdom--one who dedicates himself to helping others. Sweat Lodge, Vision Quest, and Sun Danc~have been part of his path and the work that you will see of his in this gallery often speaks to this reality where the boundaries of mind, spirit, and matter are broken --if you are willing to make the journey. His environmental pursufts continued in the Puget Sound area where he has been involved with Orca research as a naturalist and plantscape design management. He participated in the design phase of several ecological parks including an interactive seaquarium in the Yucatan, in Mexico, and has traveled to many parts of the world to experience area wildlife and flirther his knowledge of ancient traditions. He has lived with his wifb and three children in Gig Harbor since 1991. Torrey will present his new paintings in Magic Light Gallery upstairs at the Peninsula Square Mall at 3110 Harborview Drive for sale throughout the year along with other noted artists of the Pacific Northwest. The show will be continually changing.. so please stop m on a regular basis if you have an interest m original Fine Art. More information is available by contacting 253 858-8794. He welcomes suggestions for commissioned work.

"Treefrog"

Images copyright © Torrey James Lystra