Hi everyone, long time no see. We took a break from artist features for a few months. But we are so excited to be back and will be back to our normal posting schedule moving forward. This week, we are featuring Sophia Kagan.
Seattle based artist, Sophia Kagan, has been experimenting with a broad range of art forms- from fashion design, to sculpture, and to visual art for the past four years. She was self taught before taking art classes at Bellevue College and took courses at Parsons School of Design and Academy of Art University. In her works, she draws inspiration from her personal experience of being autistic to celebrate the autistic identity and raise awareness of social issues facing the autistic community. Sophia utilizes unconventional textiles and materials and bold colors in her artwork to highlight the autistic experience. She also combines both vocal performance and fashion in performance art that seeks to describe the life of autistic individuals in the U.S. Sophia plans to pursue fashion design and vocal performance. She has been in the Teen Vocal Studio at Seattle Opera for two years and won 1st place in the High School Classical Women- Grade 11 Division in the NATS Puget Sound Chapter in 2019. She sings both classical and jazz genres.
Now, let's get into the interview with Sophia.
1. Name, age, and location (city, state, or country if you’re based internationally).
My name is Sophia, I am 17, and I am from Seattle, Washington, United States.
2. How did you first get into music, art, and spoken word?
Art was like my first language, it gave me a way to express myself when I couldn’t speak about how I felt as it was hard for me to talk when I was younger. I was nonverbal until I was four and had problems with verbal communication, which required some therapies. To this day, I'd much rather create art about issues I’m passionate about than talk or write about them, it's easier and more effective for me.
3. Who or what are your biggest inspirations that motivate you to create art or write music?
My biggest inspirations would have to be Alexander McQueen for fashion design, Elena Obraztsova for singing, and Gustav Klimt for visual art.
4. How do you plan on using your art and music to spread awareness or make a difference in the world?
I plan on combining fashion design, visual art, and singing to create performance art that addresses the issues facing the autistic community in the U.S.
5. What is your favorite piece of art that you have created so far? How about your favorite piece of music that you have written?
I like all the art that I do, for me it’s not really the result that I care about but the process itself. My favorite art projects have been projects that deal with issues that I am passionate about, I like to explore those issues through my art and try to find a solution to them.
6. What are your current or future goals with your art, music, and spoken word?
I plan to pursue a fashion design degree and continue to study vocal performance separately.
7. If you had the opportunity to spend a day with your favorite artist or musician, who would it be and why?
I would LOVE to spend a day with Björk, she seems like the coolest person on the planet and I am obsessed with her music!
8. Do you have any advice or tips for people that are interested in music and art?
Go do art and music! I think we need more artists and musicians in the world!
If you want to contact Sophia, you can email her at sophia.art@outlook.com and @sophiakaganart is her Instagram.
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