We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sophia DeJesus-Sabella a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Sophia, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
Developing my confidence, self-esteem, and most importantly self-respect is a work in progress. Growing up as an intersex girl with visible differences from other girls my age, I spent so much of my life wishing I were invisible or fundamentally different. Recognizing that I have so much to offer beyond my physical being seems obvious, but has been transformative for my self-perception. Growing into my confidence in my abilities as an artist, educator, and curator has translated directly to confidence in my physical being and the way I present myself to others. I have learned that I am the only one who can do what I do, make the art that I make, nurture the friendships that I have, and walk the world in this body. I am the expert at being myself and I am going to do it to the best of my ability.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am an artist, weaver and educator based in Hartford, Connecticut. My artistic practice focuses on interrogating societally held values around class, utility, gender, and queerness by combining handwoven cloth with found construction materials. I currently have a duo exhibition on view at Nikki Gallery in Arabi, Louisiana entitled “refracted futures (in black and white)” with New Orleans-based weaver, Phoebe Vlassis. We are hosting a closing reception and artist talk on Thursday, May 29th from 5-9pm at 139 Mehle Street, Arabi, LA. All are welcome, and I look forward to connecting with anyone who comes from this interview! This summer, I have a one-night-only solo exhibition on Saturday, August 24th at The Arts Industry in West Hartford, Connecticut. The show, entitled “Nip Slip,” will feature work from “refracted futures” along with new weavings responding to the industrial space. The opening will feature live music, local food, and all the best people in Hartford.
In addition to being a practicing artist, I am a fiber art educator. I teach Visible Mending workshops across the Northeast, Floor Loom Weaving at Hartford Artisans Weaving Center, and am launching Parkville Fiber Arts Co-op this June in the Parkville neighborhood of Hartford, CT. PFAC is an artist-run organization whose mission is to provide Hartford residents with free workshops, artist talks, and private instruction across all fiber art media. Despite being entwined with our daily lives, textiles and the techniques surrounding their creation have become increasingly harder to access without an upfront investment. The goal of PFAC is to eliminate financial barriers for Hartford residents with the goal of creating a welcoming, vibrant community of flourishing fiber artists. We have an active crowdfunding campaign here: https://gofund.me/f7c3496c and are rolling out summer programming as we speak. Our soft opening party will be on Saturday, June 1st from 3-5pm (you can purchase donation-based tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/parkville-fiber-arts-cooperative-soft-opening-tickets-909063562587?aff=oddtdtcreator) and we will be hosting our first workshop on Saturday, June 8th. Many workshops and artist talk announcements to come, you can stay updated by following us on Instagram @parkvillefiberartscoop .
Beside being an artist and educator, I’ve begun curating art and music with hopes to expand that practice. I book bands at the DIY venue Howard’s Bookstore in Torrington, CT and have plans to curate an exhibition of all Connecticut artists this Fall. With the launch of Parkville Fiber Arts Co-op, I hope to strengthen the existing artist community in Hartford and eventually have enough interest and momentum to establish an artist residency. Besides plans to move abroad for a bit next year, I am committed to building a career and community here in Hartford.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Organization is key! Struggling with undiagnosed ADD until just last year, I thrived in the hyper-structured world of public schooling but soon fell apart in the more self-directed world of university. Organizing your thoughts, tasks, belongings, relationships, everything, is key to staying balanced. If that means journaling every morning, keeping a planner, making to-do lists, breaking your day into hourly chunks, or simply meditating to organize your thoughts, I recommend approaching ‘organization’ in whatever way makes sense for you. Self-care and self-respect are crucial as well. I don’t mean self-care like taking baths or doing face masks, but making sure you go grocery shopping and cook yourself a nice meal every once in a while and keep your home clean and stay caught up with your close friends – all are basic “Activities of Daily Living” that make a major difference in your ability to perform professionally. I’d say the third most important quality to thriving is empathy. Approaching everyone, including yourself, with empathy is how we’re meant to exist.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
Feeling overwhelmed usually means there’s other needs not being met. I take a break, eat something, drink water, take a walk, journal for a few minutes, call a friend – anything to distract focus from the things I feel I can’t control and redirect towards things that will nourish me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sophiadejesussabella.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophia__djs/
- Other: https://sophiadejesussabella.bigcartel.com/
Image Credits
All photographs by the artist.
