Bio
Sofia was born and raised in San Antonio, TX. She graduated from Harlan High School where she was in the Varsity Dance Team called the Silver Dazzlers and a member of the National Honor Society. Sofia also volunteers at Inner City Development where she helps make art with the kids. Sofia first drew and painted when she was 3 years old at her tia’s house. Even at a young age she knew that she wanted to make art. She began to take more and more art classes in middle school and high school. Her older cousin Nick Rodriguez told her about SAY Sí and she decided to apply when she was in the 6th grade. She was nervous, but excited because she knew this was what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. Sofia soon made new friends and began to grow not only as a Visual Artist but also as a person. Her area of focus is painting including oil paint, acrylic, and watercolor. She has created several artworks while at SAY Sí, as well as helping and teaching middle schoolers create art as a mentor. In the fall she will be attending the University of Texas at Austin where she will study fine art, she hopes to one day be an art teacher. Sofia is grateful for everything SAY Sí and many others have done for her and she looks forward to her future and will work hard to achieve her goals.
Artist Statement
This series of work uses oil paint to illustrate significant individuals, ideas, and milestones in my life. I like to take advantage of family photos and cultural symbolism and incorporate them into my work. The importance of the loteria card style is to show the cultural game I would play with my grandma who passed, but still has a significant role in my life. The more I painted these moments and people, the more I noticed the words and images taking on new meaning, reflecting memories that made me who I am, in a new way of who, what, when, and where. This new language created with my oil paints was one made up of brush strokes and liquid oil-based paint formed into beautiful images that portray my life. Through these pieces, I discovered my new way to communicate my life struggles and successes. While there were endless mediums that could be used to create art: painting with oil paint and brushes became my favorite way of expression that I will use throughout my life.