Hugo Toro, a Moreton Bay-based artist, art teacher and now author, has gone far beyond what he might have initially expected, to capture the story of his family, his childhood and the years that followed.
His three-book series (the first of which he made available at Brisbane’s Braille Library) began as an attempt to preserve memories, before evolving into a highly relatable work that offers a vivid and highly immersible literary world.
According to Mr. Toro, he was inspired by real-life family events and, in order to render these in faithful and poignant detail, a period of reflection and research was necessitated, including tracing his family tree and key events over a century.
“From a young child and into adulthood, I was interested in the family tales told around the dining table,” Mr Toro said.
“My father was the youngest of eleven children and his siblings enjoyed recollecting life stories, while my mother was the eldest of five children and her family stories are also engaging,” he said.
Capturing Legacy: Hugo Toro’s Family Portrait in Three Books
Mr Toro said that if no one were to document these real-life accounts, they would be lost altogether, so he set about to record important moments that occurred across a span of 100 years, from 1923 to 2023.
“I started writing stories straight from memory as I found the stories flowed more freely that way,” Mr Toro said.
“Once I had a collection of rough drafts, I sought out skilled people and located creative writing beta readers, editors, short courses and books that developed my skills considerably over a two-year period.”
Mr Toro said that the support of the Redcliffe Writers’ Group had been invaluable and that he was also looking to submit his stories to Moreton Bay libraries.
All three books in the series, Words Paint Our Family Portrait – Migration Across Continents, Words Paint Our Family Portrait – When the World Became a Village and Words Paint Our Family Portrait – Welcoming the New, include illustrations by the author throughout.
To find out more about the books and to learn more about Hugo Toro as an artist and an art teacher (and to access his contact details), visit hugovisualart.com.
Read more stories from our Redcliffe Guide print magazine here:
- Why Multitasking Is A Lie
- Some Pioneers: The Ham Family
- Mums in Motion Movement: Empowering Mothers to Thrive
- Blast Off with Cosmic Fun at Redcliffe Museum
- Reddy Round Up
- Sunrise, Sound, and Stillness
- Toastmasters Celebrate 100 Years of Confident Communication
- War Widows Day
- What’s Hot for Halloween
