| “Nature, in all its forms is my
inspiration and the reason I create.” 2004 is a new beginning. Having just arrived in Bundeena a few short months ago, I am thrilled to immerse myself into this beautiful environment and to express my reaction to it in painting. In 1988 Sonja became a Gallery Guide at Wagga Wagga Regional Art Gallery, which encouraged her to further her arts career. She successfully completed courses in Ceramics and Painting for four years at the Riverina Institute of TAFE. Since graduating with a BA in Visual Arts (majoring in Painting) in 1996 from Charles Sturt University, Sonja has been determined to continue her arts practice by consistently producing artwork for group and solo exhibitions. Sonja maintains that certain ideas call for different methods of expression and it is a constant challenge for her to apply her skills to varying mediums. Of major interest is her creation of integrated environments, which stimulates all the senses – not only the visual. Her installations are more than an opportunity to create an environment; they offer an interactive experience in a selected contained space. Most of the solo exhibitions are large site-specific installations, which reflect ideas concerning human interconnectedness with the natural environment. These 3D works include a variety of media from natural materials including soil, salt, turf wood and ochres to paper, optic fibre and plaster. She states, “My intention is to capture an essence, to interpret that humans and the environment are constantly linked forming dialectic between nature and culture.” The 2D materials Sonja works with are charcoal on paper and canvas, ochres and pastel on paper and canvas and paint, both acrylic and oil, on paper and canvas. Her most recent solo exhibition of paintings - ‘umwelt 2003’, was inspired by the external environment surrounding us and the effect this has on our internal environment – an abstracted landscape that we are all connected to. Sonja also works in the arts industry at different levels. She has taught art at TAFE, Community Colleges, and now runs small classes in Bundeena. She has also worked on community projects and murals across the Riverina, as part of the design development team for reconciliation projects, and with council as Community Arts Project Coordinator, Arts Administrator, Marketing Coordinator and Exhibitions Curator for the Eastern Riverina Arts Programme. |
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