Passions and Inspirations: Paintings

I didn’t believe that I was any good at my craft until I started looking at it from a different angle; I started creating art through an external lens. I stopped focusing on what I didn’t like about my paintings and started appreciating the imperfections in it. Now as an adult, I paint to distress, which I don’t think it helps to paint to relieve tension, because I lose motivation quickly… painting and writing are two of my favorite passion projects, but I have to be in the peek of my emotions (either great or worse) in order to produce quality work. Painting has always been my outlet, an additional way to express my emotions, and have done quite some pieces when I zoned out and let my creativity take its course. A small story behind the above featured painting; it was around Halloween, I was feeling in the holiday spirit, when it dawned on me to try and create an image inspired by the Day of the Dead theme; long and behold, my first and only Day of the Dead painting! Fun fact: I was asked to sell my piece so it may be put on tshirts… I just couldn’t.

The Brightness in a Moment of Darkness

I was in a dark place in my life when the painting in the picture above came along. I was sitting at the park in my car, thinking of how to get myself out of the massive depression I was in after getting kicked out of my 12 year apartment. While I was packing my stuff, I put my paints and brushes in a suitcase and locked it up in storage, not thinking that I’d come to need it. I was driving around close to where I used to live, where my storage was located when it occurred to me to go pick up my kit. So I picked up my paints and headed to the closest, least busy park; I sat in the car crying my eyes out trying to figure where my life went wrong, and from one moment to another, I started to paint. I had an empty cup and paper bag from lunch, a gallon of drinking water, and my painting kit; inspiration struck. Born was the painting of red roses and pink daisies, it came to me when I was in a dark place emotionally, and im glad it did.

Children’s Book Worthy

The picture above came to me when I was back in my apartment, before I was kicked out, I was watching cartoons when the idea popped into my head. Usually in moments of extreme inspiration, I completely lose myself in what I’m doing and when I come back to reality, I’ve realized what had come of it. I didn’t realize the vibrant, joyful colors I had chosen for the piece until I was done with it, and the idea of selling it to a children’s book publisher sparked in my mind, but never pursued it. These paintings have sat in my painting pad this whole time, I just don’t even know where to start.

Inspired by “The Little Prince”

I had this neighbor that was a part time children’s tutor and full time mom, and we would talk about my work all the time. One day she asked me if I had ever read the book “The Little Prince”, I said that I had never heard of it, so she had a copy from when her children were younger and she gave it to me. The theme of the story is the realms for which the little boy explore, childhood versus adulthood. But it’s actually not about the little boy, more than it is about the airplane pilot… I will not go into details in case you haven’t read it, I would recommend it. So, my painting was inspired by this book that was gifted to me by my neighbor and I thank her for having being a great friend and mentor. I do occasionally explore my child-like imagination and let it captivate my next idea.

Simplicity in the Art Form

The description says it all. I was once inspired to paint this simple artist piece by searching for a greeting card for my mom for Mother’s Day, and couldn’t find anything I liked. I am very picky when it comes to greeting cards; the message it portrays as well as the images that come along with it. If I am good at anything, is knowing what to write in a greeting card… I live and breathe the first opportunity I get to go searching for the perfect card, one that will tell the story of what I am trying to say at that moment… I’m not good with in-person expressions, but can pour my heart out in a card. So, as simple as the idea was, I created the painting above and almost sold it to a greeting card company, again, it’s hard to detach from my art.

Seasonal Inspirations

The art work above was not inspired in the fall, but just from pure positive emotion and creativity that emerged from a moment of motivation and memory. One thing I love about fall, is the change of the leaf color, the anticipation of the cold weather, being to walk through the park and hear the crunching of the dry leaves, just being able to sit there and admire the beauty that is nature. I like creating things that are abstract yet recognizable… beauty yet somber… fluent yet scattered. The painting above showcases my love of color, change in hues, the use of dark and light to accentuate the brightness in the leaves and grass, allowing for each part to tell it’s own story, and the gradients in the sun, sky and tree.

Reacting a Cultural Art Piece

It may not look like it in the picture, but this is a wooden mailbox/key holder that was brought by my family from El Salvador. It already had some artwork on it, native from my family’s country, but my mom being one of my biggest supporters, asked me to recreate this wooden mailbox and paint something completely different on it. I didn’t take a picture of the original piece, I found a similar one online which is a very close replica of the one my mom had. I used a landscape such as a blue sky and sunflowers inspired by my beautiful grandma; her favorite flower and her free-spiritedness. My grandma was an adventurous, outgoing, joyous woman that always loved being outdoors, either gardening or going to different places, I was inspired by her energy and personality, I devoted this piece to her. I did a close up angle of the sunflowers to emphasize the meaning behind the inspiration (my grandma), and the outside look of the sunflower field to represent her children (she has six children, one of the flowers is blocked by the box with the paint). I know she would’ve loved it.

Making a Bad Moment in History into a Beautiful Memory

I like to reconstruct bad moments or memories into more positive and beautiful ones, I know I’m a little late into the catastrophic storm that is COVID, but I have been wanting to do something like this for a long time. I noticed that the masks that we use are of a canvas like material, for which as already uncomfortable and unattractive, and let’s be honest there’s a lot of people like me that don’t know how to sew, lol. So I use the talents that I was already granted and I painted on the masks that I bought recently; a black canvas, just added a little color! I do sign all my art and writing with my alias SofiiLove, that is my artistic persona, just so people know who I am, but I am a hidden artist; I have never actually shown my work like I am right now, in fear of being judged. I am not the best at painting, but I try my best. I know I’m not alone when it comes to disliking these uncomfortable masks, but I made it a little bit more bearable and stylish; I added my own twist. Better late than never, lol.

End of my Storytelling

This was a little sneak peek into the other part of my creativity, I appreciate having a platform where I can share my interests with people with people that have similar interests. I appreciate all that have read my stories, shared similar passions, and have allowed me into their world. Thank you all for being here!