SONAVAR Print

One of my earliest memories is holding onto a pencil and doodling on a giant piece of paper roll my uncle bought to serve as wrapping paper from his printing factory. It is hard to say if this was because due to lack of toys or whether I genuinely was inclined to create my own artistic world. As a child, I excelled in arts and sports, and I loved nature, much to the disappointment of my family. Art, although it kept me “supervised” in after-school art classes I took as a child, was not really seen as a career path and I had to make other study choices. Similarly, when I came to London, I often had to work 6-7 days a week in the first four years. My art was seriously on hold. Looking back, I think it is the obstacles that made me into this sprung coil I am now so eager to unravel. I also wonder if the vivid, bright, and cheery colours are the result of suppressing it for so long. But one thing is for sure, my art is heavily influenced by listening to classical music. It is the only genre of music that frees me and channels creativity without ‘punishment’. In that moment I am carefree and creative, the nearest feeling to what I felt like as a child. Where there are no right or wrong lines, just having fun, learning, and enjoying the artistic process. I mean no disrespect to other artists, current or past, but I genuinely feel my biggest influence in art is my own artistic gift. I tend to see broken or discarded objects and my brain speculates what I can make them into. Similarly, with paint, I choose my colours and see where it leads. I am thoughtful when creating, but I’ve learned to make ‘missed lines or blotches’ into features, I have learned to be happy in art.