MAMA MADE ME PRETTY by Sophie Gori
Original Artwork by Sophie Gori
Acrylic on Wood
About the Artist:
“Life is playfulness... We need to play so that we can rediscover the magic all around us.” - Flora Colao
Sophie’s work seeks to rediscover the importance of play in the day to day. Her current work aims to invite people into her process of finding joy and a renewed appreciation for life. She works with a variety of materials, oil and acrylic paint, wood veneers and plaster. One common thread between all her pieces are the playful compositions and colors reminiscent of the cubist art form.
Sophie graduated with a degree in fine art from the University of Northwestern. Her formal training focused on technical painting and color theory. The initial fodder and birth of her professional entrance into the art world came after closing the door on an all-consuming abusive relationship. Painting became a safe place, a way of reexamining her life from many viewpoints, a site of healing and transmutation.
“It reunites you with your inner child. It gives you a desire to protect and nurture yourself in a very intentional way. You may mourn and grieve, but on the other side of it there becomes a deep yearning to return the self you knew before.”
Each piece is a diary entry, a marker of the healing process. Her subject is often an abstract body carved out with heavy brush strokes and vibrant colors. She is interested in how trauma is stored in the body and the impacts it has on our physical health and mental health. However, her work is that of a survivor, one moving forward with purpose, breaking the cycle, and creating a new life full of joy and playful curiosity.