SOFIA GADBOIS

Richmond, VA | sofiagadboisstudio.com

This piece is one of many that have taught me how to live and how to heal after experiencing tremendous loss and upheaval in my life. In 2020, I watched my brother disappear into the elusive haze of schizophrenia. To this day, I hope to find him somewhere in the void and pull him out - but the void is a dark place that I can never enter, despite how enticing it seems. So, with strong forces against me, I wasn’t able to help him, and instead I started to paint. As I witnessed him fragment into pieces, it was through the act of creation I realized the parts of myself that had been sequestered. Up until that point, I had no idea I was a lesbian, though there were definitely signs. Now, the canvas is a place to follow my own heart, gut and mind. The artwork submitted is an example of freedom to be exactly who I am through improvisation and intuition. My identity informs this artwork through the act of trusting each movement and accepting the need for change.

My name is Sofia, and I’m a queer abstract intuitive artist based in Richmond, VA. I work with acrylic paint and pastels on canvas and paper, exploring themes of healing from C-PTSD, understanding psychosis, and living in imperfect connection with spirit. My process is rooted in improvisation, intuition, and trust.

As a queer person and trauma survivor, learning to assert myself and trust my inner knowing has been a long process—one that wasn’t taught to me but rather something I’ve had to uncover on my own. The pieces submitted embody this process. There is no roadmap for abstract expressionism, just like there is no roadmap for healing or being queer. By painting in layers, each piece revealed itself through mindful intuitive exercises. Taking into consideration form, composition and color, but ultimately, taking the next best action that felt right in my body. Making art is my resistance, revolution and joy in response to my past wounds of hiding myself for the sake of survival.