Sonya Katashonova
Artist member since 2021
Hamilton, Ontario
Sonya is a multidisciplinary artist and illustrator working in oils, acrylics, inks and watercolors, with a B.Des in Illustration from OCADU. Born in Russia and raised in Canada, with immersion in both cultures, Sonya’s work explores themes of nostalgia and memory through portraits, cityscapes, nature and the mundane. Sonya’s work draws inspiration from a variety of sources, including baroque and renaissance paintings, folk art, scientific illustrations, kitsch and the uncanny.
Q+A
What artists do you admire right now?
In the realm of painting; Henrik Aa. Uldalen for his delicate depictions of the human form, Ivan Seal for his imaginativeness, execution and advice in regards to quantity over quality, and Caroline Ji for her breathtaking colour. In the realm of illustration; Stacey Rozich for her world crafting, Avalon Nuovo for her exaggerated yet believable figure drawings and bold colours, and Hokyoung Kim for confusing me how digital can look so traditional.
Favourite medium
A tie between oil paint and ink. Ink, due to the versatility. You can use ink to mimic the softness of watercolours, you can use it to make crisp lines, you can use it to tattoo. As for oils; I never understood the description of oils as "buttery" until I used them, but it makes perfect sense. Their softness and shimmeriness makes me melt a little whenever I come back to them.
Beverage of choice
Tap water in a mug
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