If It Were Only Up to Me

by Sofia Llanes

“As a painter and printmaker, my work is in conversation with themes of aging, guilt, fear, love, and a bittersweetness that has tinged my life for as long as I can remember. Though I primarily work in gouache and acrylic paint, I often incorporate non-traditional materials in my practice, experimenting with expanding foam, glass, clay, and jewels. My usage of various materials acts as a conduit for my understanding of the boundaries between restraint and liberty, permanency and transience. The subjects of my paintings typically encompass a memory or recurring thought, and whether my recollection of it is vague and distant or strong and palpable, it is meant to be viewed through a hazy lens with the surreal quality of a dream. Some areas feel materialized and tangible, while others feel as though they could dissipate at any moment. Though my palette primarily consists of vibrant fluorescents and warm sanguine colors, I work to offset it with the delicacy of my subject matter. In my practice, I am offered the opportunity to realize the fragments of a dynamic world I’ve built and am rooted in, leaving the evidence behind in a painting.”