Jola Soares

Even though I was involved in the art scene and art-making since my teenage years, I never dared to call myself an artist until recently.
I was born in Poland and lived there til my early twenties. During that time I worked as a Social Worker. I moved to the U.S.A. 32 years ago and started my career as a IT professional. During that time I managed to take art classes and workshops and paint during my free time. I’m still taking art classes at the School of Art Institute of Chicago pursuing certificates in Painting and Studio Art and Design. Currently, I work in multiple mediums including oil & cold wax, encaustic and photography. I’m constantly adding new mediums such as ceramics and printmaking to my artistic repertoire to have better tools to express myself.
I believe that art is a very powerful therapy and has the gift of healing.
After work, I would come home and paint or draw to balance my stressful day at work. Nostalgia for my life in Poland, love for sailing and hiking beautiful Tatry mountains showed up in front of my eyes on canvas.
After a while, the landscapes became more abstract and less structured.
I’m intuitive painter, inspired by self-discovery, relationship to nature and others, life stories, human emot...

2016 - Present, School of the Art Institute of Chicago: Painting Certificate & Studio Art and Design Certificate
2018, Ox-Bow, Painting Turned on its Head, Paula Wilson
2018, Art2Life, Creative Visionary Program, Nicholas Wilton
2018, Photopolymer Plate Printmaking and Chine Colle, Jeffrey Hirst
2018, College of DuPage, Ceramics
2018, The Elusive Image, Photo + Encaustic , Sarah Rehmer
2017, 2018 ClaySpace , Ceramics
2017, Encaustic workshop, Jeffrey Hirst
2017, Oil and cold wax painting workshop - Master level, Pamela Caughey
2017, Oil and cold wax painting workshop, Rebecca Crowell
2017, Oil and cold wax painting workshop, Pamela Caughey
2017, Oil and cold wax painting workshop, James Edward Scherbarth
2017, Oil and cold wax painting workshop, Lisa Pressman
2017, Composition, Color & Light, Mary Bents Gilkerson
2016, Oil and cold wax painting workshop, Dianne Martia
2016, Abstract Painting: Order Within Chaos, Emmett Jones
2016, Oil and cold wax painting workshop, Mark Russell
1996, B.S., Information and Decision Science, University of Illinois at Chicago

Awards
BoldBrush Regram winner, 2018
1st Place, 2018  - All Women Art Exhibition  - Light Space & Time,  Juror : John R. Math
Merit Award, 2017  - SALI National Abstract Art Exhibition , Juror : John Berry
Solo
Just Bee, ClaySpace Gallery,  Lisle, IL,  2018

Group
Redefining Tradition, Ice House Gallery, Evanston, IL, 2018
81st Annual Exhibition of Painting and Sculpture,  Polish Arts Club of Chicago, Chicago, IL,  2018
Woman Made Midwest Open - Woman Made Gallery,  Chicago, IL 2018
If You Only Knew, Old Court House Arts Center, Woodstock, IL, 2018
Light Space & Time, All Women Art Exhibition, 2018
Small works exhibition, The Access Room Gallery, 33 Contemporary Gallery,  Zhou B Art Center, Chicago, IL, 2017
SALI National Abstract Art Exhibition, Greenwood, IN, 2017
Fam's Annual Regional Juried Exhibition 14, Freeport, IL, 2017
Dangerous Lullabies III, Dole Mansion Crystal Lake, IL, 2017
Bi-Monthly Elmhurst Art Museum, Elmhurst Artists’ Guild Member Show, Elmhurst, IL