By -
#MeetHerartistSonjaCzekalski

 Tell us your artist story, some biographical info, when did you decide to be an artist? Why do you make art? Where did you study? Etc.

In my kindergarten “All About Me” book I wrote “When I grow up… I want to be an art teacher.” 20 years later, I am doing just that! I earned my BS in Art Education with a concentration in painting and photography at Rhode Island College. I am now completing my MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts at MassArt in Boston. I make art to express my thoughts and ideas, share stories, and to teach… and to make my house prettier. 


What do you want people to walk away with after experiencing your work?

I create work that reclaims and empowers the bodies, skin, crafts, and stories of women. I aim to provide the viewers with an empathetic glimpse into these lives and stories that are often looked over or looked down upon.  I want my work to confront viewers with their own biases towards these topics and bring the viewer to honor women in the light they deserve.

What influences your work? Why?

I direct my work within the 4th wave of feminism to intersectionally empower all women, all of their lives, and all of their stories. I derive all of my drawn images of the female figure from the internet and mass media advertising. I often refer to Jean Kilbourne, especially her speech “The Dangerous Ways Ads See Women,” to confront these dangerous depictions of women ingrained in our subconscious memory from television commercials and magazine covers and to reclaim the image and role of the female figure. Most recently, I find myself prominently inspired by fine- artists’ Sophia Narrett, Erika Spitzer Rasmussen and Ghada Amer as well as musical artists The Highwomen and Lizzo.

What does it mean to you to participate in Hera, either as an artist member OR as an exhibiting artist?

Participating in Hera means to be a part of feminist art history. Hera was built on a ground of passion and resistance to not only change the art world but change the culture of the world through the power of women’s voices. It is an honor and a pleasure to continue to carry Hera’s ideals into the next decade and be included in this community of artists. 




To see more on Sonja's work visit her website:
https://sonjaczekalski.wixsite.com/portfolio

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Artists From The Mill At Shady Lea

By -
Hera Gallery is pleased to present “Artists From Shady Lea Come to Hera,” an exhibition featuring the eclectic works of the artists from the Mill at Shady Lea. This show will feature the works of Jane Bailey, Roberto Bessin, Jon Campbell, Barbara Crane, Jeff Elsbecker, Jody Eyre, Susan Hayward, Karen Imbriale, Sandra Krupp, Sew Many Things, and Amanda Wright. The Mill hosts a vibrant and thriving community of makers; tucked away on Mattatuxet River, the Shady Lea Mill is home to over forty artists, craftsmen, and designers. Continually changing and expanding, the Mill is an organic entity thriving off of the creativity of its tenants. “Artists From Shady Lea Come to Hera” will present the diversity of work created by select tenants of Shady Lea. Included in this biopsy will be the large format pastel drawings by Jane Bailey. Bailey’s paintings are laced with a sense of poetic loneliness, and allows for the pastel drawings to examine depth of light and space. Similarly, Barbara Cr
Read more

CALL FOR ENTRIES: "Landscape at the Edge: Contemporary Views"

By -
H E R A  G A L L E R Y Is pleased to announce an open call for… Landscape At The Edge: Contemporary Views Juror: Michele L’Heureux is a working artist, Gallery Director of The Beard and Weil Galleries at Wheaton College, and Curator of the Kniznick Gallery at Brandeis University. Concept: The contemporary viewing of the landscape is pluralistic and reflective of human relationships to the natural and manmade environment. This national juried show seeks a varied perspective on what contemporary landscape is through the artist’s engagement with the subject. We seek to explore the meaning of place, political or environmental issues related to the landscape, urban and rural landscapes, natural and manmade landscapes, or other points of view. Application Deadline: Friday, February 7th, 2014.   Exhibition Dates:   Saturday, April 5 th - Saturday, May 3 rd , 2014 Opening Reception: Saturday, April 5 th 2014, 6:00 – 8:00 pm Eligibility: Open to
Read more

Repost regarding installation at Providence Place Mall

By -
Image
The Following is a repost from todays Providence Journal. I thought that those of you heading to the Providence Place Mall might find this particular use of commercial and communal space interesting. He wanted a new sofa. She thought the apartment could use more color. When friends stayed over, they often wound up sleeping on the floor. Clearly, everyone agreed, it was time for a change. And so, just days before their secret hideaway was discovered and their exploits became the stuff of local legend, the artists who spent nearly four years homesteading inside Providence Place mall were about to do something that homeowners everywhere can relate to. They were about to redecorate. “We had it all planned,” says Michael Townsend, the lanky 37-year-old mastermind behind what some have called inspired performance art and others, including mall officials, have termed an illegal “violation” of private property. “We had a bunch of new furniture, including a new sofa, new chairs and a very nice
Read more