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#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

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