Artist and fifth-year visual arts student Sonja Poon is set to open her first exhibit Imagine, on September 21. The exhibit will be held at The Gales Gallery in Accolade West, featuring paintings, sculptures, and papercut pieces throughout Poon’s five years at York.
According to Poon, the exhibit’s message is to push people to break out of their view of the world, and imagine something out of the ordinary.
Her inspiration is diverse, ranging from animals to space, and reflect in the subject matter of her pieces. The colour theme of whites and soft pastels is used throughout the gallery, in which Poon admits she enjoys mixing different media, allowing her to create unique and unconventional pieces. Poon is also experimenting with digital painting, which she anticipates to submit for future group shows.
While curating her own private exhibit, Poon admits that she was both nervous and excited for the final outcome. As an artist and curator, she says the decision making process for selecting the pieces was difficult.
“I’ve always been really interested in arts and crafts as a young child,” says Poon regarding her inspiration and career goals. Also enrolled in the concurrent education program, she says a part of her also aspires to become an art teacher. “I feel like you just become an artist without realizing it. If you produce art, you are an artist.”
Poon’s interest in art may have started early in her life, but she does not wish to become a full-time artist, claiming that artistry as a profession would be an unstable job. Poon has even considered graphic design and other art-related fields before choosing teaching.
Visit The Gales Gallery to see Poon’s Imagine. The gallery is open daily from September 21 to October 2 from 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Justyna Korczynski, Contributor
Featured image collage, including altered book, painting and papercut works, courtesy of Sonja Poon.
