Today we’d like to introduce you to Sonya Marie Sky.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Sonya. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
From a very young age, I knew I was going to become an artist. Picking up a pencil or sharpie was a natural instinct for me. As a little girl, I created my own female characters that embodied my ideals at that time. Fast forward to college and I studied the foundations of drawing and painting at Texas A&M International University. When I graduated in the Fall of 2013, I was inspired by one particular professor to pursue a master’s degree in art. In the years following, I taught art and found time to paint and draw whenever possible, but after a while, I knew it was time to go back to school. In the Fall of 2017, I entered the Master of Fine Arts program at The University of Texas at San Antonio and have been focusing on concepts regarding identity, femininity, and empowerment.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Life is a rollercoaster. I don’t believe reaching a goal will ever go entirely as planned with the many obstacles’ life throws at us. However, the best advice I can give other women, particularly young women starting their journey, is to always persevere no matter how difficult life gets. As much as I love art and try to maintain focus, personal and family issues have deterred me from my artistic goals and trying to find balance is a struggle. My advice for this is to prioritize what matters most and no matter how long the journey takes, what matters most is that you reach your goals and get to your destination.
Please tell us about your business – what should we know?
I am primarily known for my large-scale tapestry made of gold satin fabric and vinyl leather as well as my large scale charcoal drawings of feminine figureless figures. My tapestry, La Mera Mera, was recently shown at The Museum of Human Achievement in Austin, Texas for the Cuerpos Unidos Group Exhibition. I specialize in drawing and painting but have lightly ventured into other mediums such as collage and performance. My work addresses issues of being a female raised in a Mexican-American demographic and extends into issues of femininity and how to find empowerment from certain upbringings.
Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
Some of the resources that come to mind to keep up to date with some contemporary artists and artworks include magazines such as Beautiful Bizarre, Juxtapoz, Hi-Fructose, ARTnews, and New American Paintings.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sonyamariesky.com
- Email: s.mariesky@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/sonyamarieskyart
- Facebook: facebook.com/sonyamarieskyart
Image Credit:
Sonya Marie Sky
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