Meet Sofia Aquino

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sofia Aquino a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Sofia, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?

My optimism usually stems from my desire to survive difficult situations and the belief that we can attract what we truly desire. Life has put me through many lows, but those experiences taught me how to stay positive and keep moving forward.I was born with a condition called sickle cell anemia — a disorder that affects blood circulation and causes chronic pain in different parts of the body. Growing with this condition made me feel diminished and vulnerable — both as a person and as a girl.I missed out on many experiences because of it — moments that might seem small to others, but to me, they were the kind that shape who you are and who you hope to become.

You might think, “What’s wrong with missing out or being different?” Absolutely nothing. But the hard part for me was how it made me feel: useless, worthless, full of self-doubt, and unable to stand up for myself and dream big.

But over time, I realized that my illness was the starting point — the reason I chose to live my life by focusing on the bright side of things and began yearning for the things I truly wanted. Because at the end of the day, I cannot change the way I was born. And if I had stayed stuck in the mindset of “I’m too ill to do it or to want it,” I would’ve never been able to push myself to change — to see everything from a different perspective.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’m a Dominican illustrator and visual artist. I sometimes go by the name “Soartale” on social media — a simple combination of my first and second names. Likewise, I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember. When I was in kindergarten, there was a children’s illustrated story contest at my school, and I won second place. I don’t quite remember what my story was about, but I vividly remember that I cried a lot when they called my name to give me the prize. Since that day, I realized that drawing was something that made me feel really, really happy — it was something I truly enjoyed.

Growing up with my older sister — who also loved art — we were usually known as the art kids in the family, at school, and pretty much everywhere we went. Our parents enrolled us in painting classes, and we worked on different projects together. At school, classmates would often ask us to do the “artsy stuff,” and we loved being a part of that. We both truly enjoyed the artistic journey. When we graduated from high school, my sister entered a design school, and I was so amazed and excited by everything she was doing. Her art assignments and projects — which I typically helped her with — made me realize how much I admired her dedication. It was through her that I discovered I also wanted to go to art school and be just as amazing as she was.

Though she’s no longer with me, her memory continues to push me forward every day. She was, and still is, one of my biggest inspirations and one of the reasons I wanted to join this incredible path.

Today, being an illustrator means having the freedom to explore my art and creative mind in many ways. I’m always excited to discover new styles, experiment with different techniques, and push the boundaries of what I once thought was possible. That constant drive to improve and keep learning is one of the things that inspires me the most.

For me, one of the most special things about illustration and visual art is the deep inner connection it gives me. Through it, I get to understand what I want to express, what my ideas and values are, and how I want to represent them visually. It feels like an intimate conversation between my inner world and the outside.

Recently, I collaborated with an animation studio to present some pieces alongside other emerging Dominican artists in an exhibition to raise funds for an animation project. This experience, although small, was incredibly special. It left me with even more desire to continue sharing my art with the world and to keep growing within the industry.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

In my experience, being honest with myself, having the ability to adapt, and being open to learning from others were factors that helped me move forward and why I am where I am now.

Being loyal to what I like and enjoy and things I am interested in has given me the opportunity to grow from a secure and comfortable position where I can trust my thoughts and freely explore them without passing judgment. But not in a closed manner; rather, to understand my thoughts, comprehend my concepts, and be able to cultivate my genuineness. I’ve come to appreciate other viewpoints and thoughts, whether they are from professionals or those going through a similar experience. Listening and learning from them has broadened my way of looking at art and has nurtured me in many unexpected ways.

Adapting, to me, is letting myself be able to do a lot of things. Learning from other people’s perspectives has opened my mind to exploring my work from countless angles without feeling constrained by a certain aesthetic or idea. That adaptability has been essential to my continued development.

If there’s any advice I can give, it is to always have an open heart and mind while staying true to your passions. No matter how difficult the road may seem, always come back to the reason you’re here — to the love behind what you do and the purpose behind doing what you love. There’s something incredible about learning from the world and about yourself.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

My mental health is currently my biggest challenge because it isn’t at its best. I’m experiencing anxiety and depression, which inevitably impacts me in social and professional spheres. Having to deal with this while attempting to develop both personally and professionally has caused me to question my goals and purposes for the future, making me feel exhausted by overthinking everything. There are days when I even feel disinterested in things I do or lose inspiration in many ways.

In the interim, I’m working to develop healthy habits to keep my artistic spark intact while I seek professional advice to get aid and take care of myself. Truth be told, I’m afraid of losing that passion. I also lean on people who are special to me, like my mother and my friends, who have been one of the best things that have happened to me in my life. I appreciate that they constantly offer me guidance and make an effort to help me in any way they can.

It also helps me a lot to vent in my journal when I need to. Sometimes I distract my mind from bad thoughts by watching my favorite series or listening to music. And I try to create routines that keep me active and help me not get lost in that void.

The loss of my sister affected me deeply, and since then I’ve been trying to rebuild myself little by little, hoping not to stop loving what I do or lose sight of my dreams.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @soartale www.instagram.com/soartale
• Linkedin: Sofia Aquino www.linkedin.com/in/soartale

Image Credits

Sofia Aquino (Soartale)