We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sophie Wong. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sophie below.
Hi Sophie, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
My resilience mostly comes from having a strong support system. I’ve been blessed with a close knit family of great minds and experiences that I can always depend on to talk to if needed. I also believe my resilience comes from my own ability to maintain a positive attitude and stay grounded in difficult situations.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
My name is Sophie Wong, I’m an independent artist born and raised in Miami, Florida that goes by the artist name Sona. In my work, I depict portraits and scenes influenced by my own culture and upbringing here in Miami. My work often addresses themes of grit, perseverance, or growing into your true self.
For the last 5 years, my main focus has been to continue to exhibit my work, and to work with young artists and kids in the community through art. I currently work out of my home studio, juggling motherhood and family life while completing my art residency with Project Art at the Culmer/Overtown Branch Library teaching free afterschool art classes for ages 4-12.
I view my relationship with Art as a journey that will guide and follow me through life and grow who I am as a person. In recent years, it has brought me to where I am now -working either one on one in private art lessons or guiding groups of kids and young adults. It’s just something that feeds my spirit. I’m embracing these new chapters of motherhood and how it’s influencing what drives me while allowing it to intertwine with my life and work.
My most recent project is a children’s book that I have partnered with my sister to create. Drawing inspiration from our Caribbean roots and combining our passions, this is my most exciting project yet, so I cant wait to share more as it develops. It’s another step along the journey to fulfill my goal of sharing art in ways that not only were so meaningful to me growing up, but also crucial in the development of the kind of artist and person I am today. There’s no limit to how much just having access to art during the developmental years can do for kids and their futures. Creativity brings light into communities and growing minds. It must be nurtured.
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?
Three qualities I believe were most impactful in my journey were and still are my ability to connect and empathize with others, my ability to always see beauty in life events and things, and my ability to listen to my own voice and vision.
My advice to develop these qualities or to improve would be to stay consistent with being self aware and grounded in who you are. If you connect deeply enough with yourself, clarity in life and finding your path becomes much easier. With that, hopefully you’re able to see and connect with others with more love and grace as well.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
My entire family and support system. Each and every one of my family members from my parents to siblings to my kids and my partner have been an integral part of my practice and maintaining my career as an artist. Maintaining strong relationships with ones that help you to pour back into yourself is extremely important as a creative, as a mother, as an entrepreneur and as anyone who is looking to change and grow into something bigger.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.artbysona.site
- Instagram: @_artbysona
Image Credits
Jonathan Caesar, Celia D. Luna
