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Tico Torres — Artist follows beat of his own drum |
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Written by Dan England
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Friday, 28 March 2008 |
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Painting by Tico Torres entitled All That Jazz.
It was the early ’90s, Tico Torres was about to open his first solo art show, and he was a nervous wreck.
Never mind the fact that Torres was the drummer for Bon Jovi, one of the biggest rock bands on the planet. Yep, THAT band, the one with “Livin’ On a Prayer” and “You Give Love a Bad Name” among its hits. The one that, 14 years after those hits, released “It’s My Life” and became huge again and remains probably the only band from that hair-metal era to still be putting out hit albums, including 2007’s “Lost Highway,” the band’s first country record.
He had played, literally, before millions of fans. But this was different.
Torres was an artist, at age 5, well before he was in a rock band, which didn’t start until he was 13. He painted throughout the years, even giving some of his work away as gifts. But in the early ’90s, one Thanksgiving afternoon, he decided he was going to do it as much as he could.
“It was nice because it was something I could do on my own,” Torres said in a phone interview. “Music afforded me the chance to do that.”
 Today, Torres is making a name for himself as an artist almost as much as a rock musician, and perhaps even more, because no one really knows a band’s drummer (we’re only sort of kidding, Spinal Tap went through them like dirty socks). His latest batch of work will be on display as a featured show for the Walnut Street Gallery in Fort Collins.
Torres will make a personal appearance on Sunday to promote the show, which runs until April 7. His artwork is on display now at the gallery. He is much less nervous at shows these days, but he still remembers that first show and the subsequent ones he did for his own gallery in Florida.
“You don’t know if anyone will show, and you pour out your whole thing on canvas,” Torres said. “You do the same thing when you’re making a record, but if you’re in a band, it’s much easier.”
The show did great, Torres sold 80 percent of his collection, and he was on his way. At his peak, Torres would paint for 16 hours a day. Now he still paints, but Torres can’t stick to one medium, switching from sculpting in bronze, ceramics and glass, all of it in a variety of styles. His band, he said, is the same way, so it naturally translates to his art.
Torres got plenty of inspiration from the road. During an especially grueling tour in the late ’80s, he looked up artists all over the world and talked to them about their work, and some of the work he created was based on his experiences and the people he met on the way. He continues that today.
 Laura Eveleigh, owner of the Walnut Street Gallery along with her husband, Bill, calls the rock ’n’ roll art the gallery’s “alter ego.” They opened it in 1989 and, after two months, fell into displaying rock artwork and artwork by rockers when they displayed Rolling Stones bassist and guitarist Ronnie Wood’s art. It was so successful, they knew they were on to something.
That’s only part of the reason why they’re displaying Torres’ work, however.
“There are some artists that I think their talent is somewhat questionable, and people are buying it strictly for the name,” she said. “But with Tico, that’s not the case at all. He is an unbelievable artist.”
Torres said he believes his status as a rock star might actually hurt his career as an artist, even if it does open opportunities at times, because people might not take him seriously. When he opened his gallery in Florida, many of his customers didn’t know he was a rock musician at first.
“I really try to separate that,” he said. “I don’t want to be a musician who paints.”
Torres sometimes brings his paints on the road. You might think the other guys in Bon Jovi would think that was a little strange, but Torres said they’re big supporters.
“They freaked out when they came to my first show,” he said. “Guys in different bands have purchased my work, too. That’s the thing, is once you have to hang a piece in your house, that’s when people start thinking for themselves. At that point, they’re buying it because they like it, not who painted it.”
TO GO:
• Walnut Street Gallery, 253 Linden St. in Fort Collins, presents the artwork of Tico Torres, drummer for Bon Jovi, from now until April 7.
• The public can visit the gallery from noon-4 p.m. Sunday, when Torres will make a personal appearance. No autographs or photos will be permitted.
• For more information, visit www.theartofrockandroll.com or call (970) 221-2383.
Second painting: By Tico Torres, entitled She Waits
Third painting: By Tico Torres, entitled Peace From Within
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