Artists

Meet the artist Maria Sonia Martin

You in a few words

I was born in 1951 in Havana, Cuba. In 1962, I went to live in the United States, residing in Yonkers, New York until my family moved to Miami, Florida in 1968. My formal studies are in the fine arts, with a concentration in painting. I have many interests, but art is my passion.
Maria Sonia Martin The Fall of Sandcastles 2017 Oil on canvas 48 X 36 in 121.92 x 91.44 cm

The Fall of Sandcastles 2017 Oil on canvas 48 X 36 in 121.92 x 91.44 cm © Maria Sonia Martin

What is your artistic singularity?

As simple as this question may seem, it could be quite complex if other definitions are considered. I will, however, interpret this question on its simple face value: the state of being singular, distinct, peculiar, uncommon or unusual.
To this my answer is: My artistic singularity (if that is a quality that a viewer sees in my work) is nothing that I have ever planned. Every human being is unique and so are our experiences. Discovering one’s uniqueness is of the utmost importance if an artist is to do honest work. I no longer look to the outside world for inspiration. That which motivates me to create, to express, is within my own being. It is all a matter of giving my own experiences a visual platform. I use the human figure as the vehicle to express that which is personally within me. This may be the reason someone may see ‘singularity’ in my work.
Maria Sonia Martin Rositas Infancy 2013 Oil on canvas 42 X 48 inches 106.68 x 121.92 cm

Rositas Infancy, 2013 Oil on canvas 42 X 48 inches 106.68 x 121.92 cm© Maria Sonia Martin

What do you enjoy most about your work?

What I enjoy most about my work is doing the work itself, the process. During the process, I am involved in a deep conversation with myself, my strengths, my weaknesses and that which has caused me pain. It is an attempt at trying to heal any existing wounds; getting rid of the demons… It is a constant search for a clearer vision of who I am and the whys.
Maria Sonia Martin The Jump 2008 Oil on canvas 48 X 60 in 121.92 x 152.40 cm

The Jump 2008 Oil on canvas 48 X 60 in 121.92 x 152.40 cm© Maria Sonia Martin

How do you find the titles for your artwork?

As to how I title my works, this is a mystery to me. During the process of creating a work, the imagery in my work makes its presence. I am then confronted with an imagery that evokes a reality. This is followed by a period of observation in order to decipher the meaning of that which is in front of me. It is a search for that clearer vision of who I am. Sometime during this period of observation the title just pops up, inadvertently, without notice. I am not certain of its origin although I attribute it to my subconscious mind. I just accept it (the titles) and go along with them, and many times the titles make me chuckle. In all, one has to have a sense of humor…
Maria Sonia Martin Panchitos Plea for Mercy 2013 Oil on canvas 54 X 66 in 137.16 x 167.64 cm

Panchitos Plea for Mercy 2013 Oil on canvas 54 X 66 in 137.16 x 167.64 cm© Maria Sonia Martin

Your favorite artists?

I have so many favorite artists. The artists that I enjoy and admire the most are those whose work has singularity of expression, those that followed or follow their inner voice. My favorite artists are those whose work expresses genuine human qualities and universal truths, the poets of the plastic arts. There are so many artists that I absolutely love, but Rembrandt is my very favorite, the one that I admire the most. This is not because of his artistic mastery, which is undeniable, but for what his work conveys. His work is a rainbow of all that which is human. He could really see, he understood.

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