Meet Sofia Hernandez Crade | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sofia Hernandez Crade and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sofia, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I have never been the kind to seek out risk of the physical adrenaline sort. Even as a child the thought of roller coasters and amusement parks filled me with dread and a strong compulsion to drop out of school forever, in hopes of being spared the humiliation of being the only 90 year old in the 6th grade class who was not ecstatic about the much anticipated school field trip!

However, no life is without risk.

Even for the most sensible risk averse person, life has a way of throwing a wrench in carefully made plans. As a child I saw how quickly and unexpectedly life can change. Moving and divorces taught me how to adapt quickly. With so much uncertainty in life, I have always felt that embracing life’s randomness and taking risks is essential for self growth and making new discoveries. When tasked with an assignment or goal, I have always been the kind to bite off a bit more than I can chew and I seem to constantly be juggling 1,001 things, both in my professional as well as personal life. This can often lead to moments of feeling overwhelmed and experiencing self doubt. However, once I focus on the task at hand and remember to take it one step at a time, I find this tendency towards always saying yes, almost always works out and yields something I am truly proud of. The fear of potential failure does not easily dissuade me and as cliché as it is the motto, “where there’s a will there’s a way” is definitely one of my life’s ethos. I would rather be over challenged than under, and find that it is often when you’re pushed to the absolute brink that you make the largest breakthroughs!

After college, I experienced the naivety that comes with youth, outsized dreams and no real clue on how to make them come to fruition. I took a job in art galleries and while I loved it and made some wonderful connections and gained valuable insight into the lives of artists, I started noticing some discouraging patterns. For one, there seemed to be no artists under the age of 40 and the vast majority seemed to be fifty and up! And on top of that, most of the professional artists I spoke with had either spent their lives in an alternative career and broken into the business as a hobby later in life, had come from money or had a partner with a large enough income that they could take a few years to establish themselves without much financial hardship. I felt completely demoralized! I did not come from money and the idea of storing my dreams and passions away until I could afford to retire decades into the future, seemed unthinkable. So I decided to take a leap of faith. Realizing inaction is ultimately extremely risky, I didn’t want to waste away living with the nagging feeling in my gut that I wasn’t living the life I had intended.

At that point I had no real leads for galleries, no loyal base of collectors and only two months’ mortgage squirreled away. But I knew it was now or never, and after all, what was the worst that could happen! Well, 19 months and one pandemic later, I can tell you it hasn’t been easy but striking out on my own to focus on making art full time has been one of the best decisions of my life! I now am showing in three galleries and have been fortunate enough to have my work in homes all over the country. I try to take risks and try something new everyday in my studio because without risk life and art can easily become stale and bland. I aim to always be reaching and striving towards new heights in both my personal and professional life. I want to wake up and dare to be kinder, more empathetic, knowledgeable, creative and reach a higher level of craftsmanship every day and ultimately holding that hope is a risk!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I grew up in the rural town of Divide, Colorado, a place still teeming with untamed beauty where the sound of mountain lion calls and coyote howls sing louder than the rumble of passing cars. There I played amongst the aspen groves and ponderosa forest naming the trees and animals as I went. Mesmerized by the abundance of life, I often found myself lost. It was in these instances of vulnerability as a child, lost in the now not-so- familiar woods, circling my mind, grasping for something recognizable, that my mind would come alive with ideas for future creations.This profound love and fascination with nature and all its creatures has carried over into adulthood and that sense of wonder very much informs my work today!

I enjoy working in a variety of different mediums including clay, oil, watercolor, pastel, resin and many more. Recently I have gravitated towards multimedia projects in resin. This mixing of materials allows my pieces to develop in unexpected ways. There is no better feeling than allowing oneself space to play and experiment. I strive for my work to feel fresh, playful, and alive with energy.  When asked what medium is my favorite, I often respond, “Whatever I have in my hands at the moment!”. I truly believe that art should be lived. Whether it be making dinner, sculpting, painting, or sewing, we should live each day striving to bring art and beauty into this world! After all, life is what you make!

I attended Beloit College in Wisconsin, where I obtained a degree in Fine Art. I ,also, had the privilege of working as an advocate, teaching Art Therapy to survivors of sexual assault for three year. After a 7 month post-college sabbatical, traveling throughout Europe, I moved back to my beloved childhood home of beautiful Colorado. I worked as the Art Director at the Squash Blossom Gallery for several years, and then went on to Broadmoor Galleries, where I  enjoyed representing a wide range of artists and their work. I am now happy to be a full-time professional artist and I  enjoy living and creating art in the picturesque town of Old Colorado City. You can find me in my studio eight days a week working in various mediums and subjects!

Please feel free to reach out for any inquiries or commission requests.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would take them to historic Old Colorado City and visit the shops and galleries and probably sit out on the patio for a drink and delicious food at Jake and Telly’s Restaurant!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to give a shout out to my incredible friend and roommate Heather MacArthur, who is an accomplished violinist and whose friendship and support has meant the world to me especially in the dark days of the pandemic. I also what to thank my Mom who is and will forever be my person, thank you for the endlessly encouragement as I carve out my path!

Website: Sofiahernandezcrade.com

Instagram: Sofiahernandezcrade_fineart

Image Credits
Heidi Elzas Black and white photo of me