Full-time artist and non-traditional Winthrop student, Itala Flores, inspires students to continue following their dreams.
By Dakota Gold
Staff Writer
AC&T
Non-traditional college students are more present now than ever within higher educational facilities. The U.S. Department of Education estimates that nearly 73% of undergraduates have one or more non-traditional characteristics.
Winthrop has its own share of non-traditional students that each have their own special story. Itala Flores, 50 years old, is currently an honors student at Winthrop University working on her Bachelor of Fine Arts.
“I chose Winthrop because of its strong Fine Arts program and the opportunities offered through the Honors College. As a non-traditional student, I was looking for a place where I could continue to grow artistically while also being a part of a supportive academic community,” Flores said.
Previously, Flores attended Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) and received her associate’s degree. Itala is a full-time artist and mother of two who moved from Venezuela to the United States in 2004 and moved to the Charlotte area in 2017.
When she moved to Charlotte, her artist career greatly expanded. Following Itala winning a competition at the Art Pop Street Gallery, Charlotte Fashion Week called inviting her to showcase her work in sustainable fashion on their runway.
From there, opportunities came flooding in, including the opportunity to have her designs featured in New York, Paris Fashion Weeks, and published in Harper’s Bazaar magazine. Additionally, she has been involved with I’mPossible Inclusive Fashion shows that raise money for kids with disabilities.
Flores was named Emerging Artist of the Year in 2020 by Art SI and was the recipient of the Orgullo Hispano Award in 2021. She was also nominated as Designer of the Year by Level 21 Magazine.
Flores’ work ranges from fashion and ceramics to paintings and photography. Intriguingly, Itala created her own medium called drypott, a mix of dry wall material and water that is malleable enough to form pieces of art.
Some of her drypott work is showcased in a permanent exhibition at Central Piedmont Community College, where her first solo exhibition was held.
As of today, Flores has around five permanent exhibitions in the area including at ImaginOn in Charlotte, and she is hoping to showcase her work here at Winthrop.
Flores’ work demonstrates a theme of sustainability and recycling of materials, including the incorporation of her husband’s old painted canvases into wearable masterpieces. In every work, her passion is on full display.
“I’ve been into art since I was a child. I love to work with my hands,” Flores said.
In the future, Flores plans to get her master’s degree and dreams to open her own gallery and studio. Looking at her natural talent, her dreams are more than achievable.
As her artistic and educational journeys progress, Flores will continue to be an inspiration for other students at Winthrop University. Flores’ non-traditional student story shows that your story is not over here – it is just beginning.
