SOPHIA

Jun 29, 2022

Sophia Jortner…but from here on in, she need only be the artist known as Sophia.

Her art is bold, bright, expressive, textured and raw. Her marks are strong and decisive. Her work comes from a genuine place in her spirit, and she conveys her unique voice onto canvas. In works such as American Gothic, Uncle Scrooge and Donald Duck, she translates her artistic influences into a style that is very much her own.

She’s only 18. She and her twin sister just graduated from Easton’s public high school, and her sister is headed to the University of Chicago thinking pre-med or pre-law. Sophia says, “We’re complete opposites – and we’re best friends. I like that we don’t have to compete about anything, and support each other totally. I struggle with school, and things like math in particular. The thing I can do, is art.” Sophia and her sister live with their mom, who is a designer, and their 13-year old brother, who likes to play basketball and sometimes draws alongside Sophia.

She’s had no formal arts education outside classes in her public school this year and last. The Guggenheim is the only major museum she’s ever visited. She explains, “I’ve always been able to draw. When I’m driving around, walking or hanging out with my friendsI see colors, shapes and objects. I draw the picture in my head. Then I practice the picture by drawing it on paper. My mom’s always been an artist and used to be an art teacher. She does mostly abstract art with pastels and has always drawn and done illustration. So art has always been in my life. We always argue about what I should paint, and she gives me advice and sometimes harsh criticism. But it’s for my benefit. …In school, I took an Advanced Placement Art class, and now the teacher, Mr. Angelis, mentors me and helps me a lot. Junior year, I submitted an abstract piece from the portfolio I did in Mr. Angelis’ class, [which was based on a Bob Ross landscape,] and my piece was ranked 57 out of 500,000. …And now Jacob is a support and a guide…”

Jacob is Jacob Herman, proprietor and Gallery Director of the Jean Jacobs Gallery at 84 Main Street in New Canaan. Jacob opened Jean Jacobs Gallery in September, 2020 and, through covid, has developed Jean Jacobs into a gallery which features original art by established artists such as Michael Desrosier, Aesther Chang, Hans Neleman and, most recently, original lithographs by Matisse, while at the same time offering a wide variety of accessible works in multiple genres to fit any clients requirements. Jacob tells the story of meeting Sophia, saying “Sophia cold-called me out of the blue, looking for a gallery assistant role, and mentioned she was an artist. She seemed inexperienced – told me she was just 16 – and said she wanted more than anything to be a part of the art world. She had a website, and when I checked it out I was blown away by the work she was doing at her age and with her limited experience and training. After I looked at some of her work on her website, I texted her back and told her I didn’t specifically have a job for her…but that I was extremely impressed with the level of her pieces and wanted to work with her to help develop her work and position her for success. I brought some pieces into the gallery, didn’t announce anything about Sophia, and the first customer who walked in bought Sophia’s first piece. She is extremely serious about her art, with her pieces selling as fast as she can paint them. We are proud to present her first solo exhibition, a culmination of the work she has created and developed within the past year. This will be the first time the public will be able to experience her work in this larger context, and we feel very positive about this show and Sophia’s future success as an artist.”

About her artistry, Sophia explains “I’m inspired by other artists, including notably Basquait, Keith Haring, Alex Monopoly, and Banksy, but I’m trying to develop my own style. I do ‘cover’ the artists who inspire me and bend my style to achieve that artist’s ‘feel’, but mostly my method depends on the vision of each painting. I see ‘my picture’ when I’m watching something on TV, or in a movie, or when I’m thinking about my dad, or other things going on in my life. I like to listen to experimental rock, and a lot of times I see ‘my picture’ in the music. Then, before I draw it out, I envision the color palette. In executing the painting, I’m focused on the vision, and try to let my style flow. I use model paste on the canvas to get depth and character, and then I usually set the painting working with spatulas and use brushes to do the details.”

She continues, “I want people to be interactive with my art. I want them to touch it, and be intrigued by the vision. I want my paintings to convey a deeper meaning, more than just look pretty. I’m interested in the themes of old money vs. new money, and fantasy vs. reality, and in the conflict between good and evil. …I have the view that there is beauty in all things. I’m trying to get to some of the deeper meanings in society – even if my commentary on society is only from the viewpoint of an 18-year old young woman.”

And about where she’s going, Sophia says, “I’m just beginning to do what I think I can do. Selling paintings has opened my eyes to really being an artist. Although selling work is not the most important aspect to me, it gives me such a feeling of validation because people are really resonating with what I am creating and willing to have my work in their homes, something that was hard to imagine when I first started.

I’m thrilled to be finished with high school, so I have all of my time to devote to my art. And I just committed to attend the Maryland Institute College of Art starting in September. I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to learn from MICA’s great professors and study the fine arts. My dream is to become the next ‘biggest artist’, do things like Banksy’s murals, and have my paintings in galleries all over the world.”

Strikingly, the quality of Sophia’s early works – and particularly given her lack of formal training – points to true, if nascent, artistic genius!

The Jean Jacobs Gallery will be exhibiting Sophia’s work from July 9th to August 8th, 2022.

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