Today we’d like to introduce you to Alisha Sofia.
Alisha, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I was born and raised in Los Angeles and decided to pursue my degree in fine art studies at SAIC in Chicago. A year later I realized I wanted to switch paths and focus more on my illustration. I then moved back to Los Angeles to attend Art Center College of Design. After graduating, I began working at various magazine companies and personal assisting on sets. I realized the only way to get my work out there was to paint murals. So I applied for the City Beautification Project that Los Angeles County started. It allows artists to showcase their work for free but also bring some color and life to once dull street corners. This was a turning point in my career as an artist. It helped engage me with the outside world and make the connections I always wanted.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I’m primarily an illustrator and muralist but sometimes work as a creative director/storyboard artist in advertising. My inspirations are women, nature, my culture (Eurasian/ Eastern European), and ancient Oriental works that have made an enormous impression on the way I paint. The themes in my work come from classic films and music. The materials I work with are gouache, watercolor, and sumi ink on hot press watercolor paper. When people view my work, I want them to immerse themselves into the environment and characters.
The stereotype of a starving artist scares away many potentially talented artists from pursuing art – any advice or thoughts about how to deal with the financial concerns an aspiring artist might be concerned about?
Keep making work, but also get yourself out there and talk to people. Converse and engage. Always stay positive no matter how bad you feel about your work and financial situation. But mostly, don’t stop having confidence in yourself!
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
You can see my work on my website or on my IG where I post more regularly. You can also see some of my murals at storefronts and restaurants in New York and Los Angeles. I enjoy doing larger scale pieces because it challenges the way I normally work, which is at a smaller scale and very detailed. I do commissioned paintings and murals on a regular basis, so if you’re interested, please don’t hesitate to contact me 🙂
Contact Info:
- Website: alishasofia.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alisha_sofia
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
