SOFIE BRANDER
Bio
Sofie Brander was born in Hvidovre, Denmark in 2005. Due to the work of her parents, she spent most of her childhood travelling abroad to attend international schools. She was always passionate about art throughout her childhood, and as she grew up she realized it was something she wanted to make a living from. In 2023, she moved to the US and started taking classes at Montgomery College, MD in pursuit of a AFA degree.
Sofie has explored many forms of art through her education, but her main focus lies in practising oil painting and drawing. Multiple of her works have been presented in Montgomery College’s own gallery in the art building.
Statement
Ever since I was little, art has been a space where I felt free to express my true self. Due to the work of my parents, I have moved around a lot my whole life, and art became one of the few things that was always there for me as everything else shifted and changed. Art has never just been a hobby for me, but something that defines me as a person.
Starting a new piece of art can feel disorienting to me sometimes, as I often forget how to begin, and I think that pressure has held me back from progressing in the past since I am a very perfectionistic person, and I usually like to have a specific way to do things. However, over time I realised that starting a new artwork with a clear mind instead of trying to recreate what I've done in the past always ends up giving me something new and unexpected, and whether that’s better or worse than past work, the process and the outcome is much more meaningful and enjoyable to me.
My artistic goal is to appeal to viewers' imaginative side. Much of my work is inspired by fantasies and dreamlike worlds I would escape to when I was little. Through creating art, I feel a connection to that younger version of myself, connecting to that sense of wonder from time to time. Given the current state of the world right now, I believe moments of imaginative escape are really meaningful, and I hope my art will be able to inspire and comfort people in the same way someday.
Visually, I think most of my art can be categorized by a certain color scheme or type of brush stroke that tends to reappear a lot. I like the final result of my work to show the material I worked with, whether that be digital mediums, paint, or pencil. I would rather my art look handmade and slightly choppy than hyperrealistic, since I think it makes my art more meaningful and authentic for me.
Overall, I think my art reflects who I am as a person, even as my style has changed and continues to evolve throughout the years.
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