This week we welcome Sonia Redfern, who ponders what it means for all of us to be on this small planet together in the vastness of the cosmos and how we choose to play the cards we are dealt. Redfern’s hope is that her work will act as a salve against the violent imagery of sensational news cycles, prompting us to recall the awe of contemplating mountains or stars, and reminding us that this life is a rare and fleeting precious moment.
Redfern is a Brooklyn born and based artist exploring landscapes and spacescapes using reclaimed materials. Redfern initially pursued an undergraduate degree in astronomy and physics, though her concentration eventually pivoted to visual arts. She continues to bring her curiosity about the world from science into her artwork.
Redfern has exhibited nationally and internationally, including in New York City, Philadelphia, and South Korea. Her work has been published in Create! Magazine, New Visionary Magazine, and on the cover Art Seen. Redfern’s artwork is in private collections throughout the United States, including New York City, Washington, D.C., and Portland, as well as in South Korea and the Middle East.
“My artwork invites the viewer into the humbling and transcendental experience of being fully immersed in a context larger than oneself. The landscapes reference my own experiences while my spacescapes reference NASA telescope images, each invoking its own kind of awe. The elements of land and space are paired or intertwined to reinforce our interconnectedness with one another and our planet.
One set of questions that help guide my practice has to do with materiality. Do materials impart an inherent value on an artwork? Who decides what is kitsch and what is fine art? Who gets to enjoy either genre? I use reclaimed materials from velvet to glass in the exploration of these questions.”
See more of Redfern’s work on her website and Instagram.
