Every month we bring you #chellacast — A contemporary art+culture podcast.
Sofia Enriquez is a visual artist from the Coachella Valley, California, whose practice consists of large-scale murals, up-cycled and re-painted vintage clothing, and fine art works.
“I was like drawing and sketching all the time as a kid. Just trying to make a mess and make things up. But I started painting when I was like 12 around seventh grade. A very emotional time for me, a lot of stuff happening at home. And I used to deal with life, just deal with my problems and how to talk about it.”
You take any principles that you learned from soccer and apply it to your entrepreneurial goals? “Oh my god yes. I played right forward. I was always trying to shoot goals. Just kicking the ball. My job was to make a goal. So now, that’s kind of what I’m doing. I’m just trying to score goals.”
“I got inspired by a bunch of art I saw at different museums and different art books and like… ancient Egypt and Greek mythology and sculptures. Simple shapes and features. It’s almost like timeless. So I wanted to find something that could bring that old-school tradition.”
“The paisley print, it’s really weird. I saw this piece or this print in a lot of places. I didn’t invent it. It’s ancient, it’s really, really old. It comes from Iran you know. But the ways it’s been a part of my life and my culture is like through my family… There’s a lot of differences between us as people but there’s some similarities and for me it’s like a symbol. It could mean nothing to someone but to me, I found like meaning in it. It’s like a moving shape.”
“I think I learned a lot about working really hard and staying focused, and what I want to do. And then the rest just kind of like, it just works itself out. I have a goal and yes, I’m trying to do this. But if I have good intensions, people are just gonna be like, hey let me help you out or what can I do for other people?”
“Right now, I’m actually working in a studio with Ryan Campbell and that’s right now my scared place to create cuz I’m using this space you know what I mean, like space is such a luxury. In California it is the most precious thing like besides water. I’m working right there now but the places that bring me the most joy is painting outside on walls. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier when I’m doing that.”
Coachella Magazine Talk Radio: Ep. Nº11
Host Treem Heff
Special guest Sofia Enriquez
Photo by Ed Zabel Photography
Produced by Jorge Perezchica
This episode is sponsored by:
Palm Springs Grip & Lighting