Hi! I’m Clare Toraya, an artist based in rural Amador County, California. Born and raised here, I once dreamed of leaving small‑town life. I moved to San Diego for college and, despite initial doubts about art as a “real” career, pursued a degree in Fine Art. Over four years I developed and refined my skills in traditional media like painting, drawing, illustration, and design.

My passion has always been creating, and I grew determined to share that passion with people who, like my younger self, might not see art as a worthwhile path. That, and a solid nudge from the COVID pandemic, brought me back to Amador. I taught high school art for three years and was constantly inspired by my students’ talent, drive, and creativity. I wanted nothing more than to see them keep making work and chasing their ambitions.

Encouraging them made me realize I’d stopped taking my own advice. I had largely stopped creating outside the classroom. With never-a-second-guess support from my incredible husband, and encouragement from family, and friends, I’ve fully dived into my dream. I’m not waiting for “the next summer vacation” or worse, retirement, to make art wholly my career. I am an artist here and now, full time, all the time.