Have you ever wondered what kind of art your art teacher makes? Well…
Middle School art teacher Sonya Derman recently participated in a 2-artist exhibition titled Indoor Interference with artist Jamie Chan and curator Sophia Ma. The title, Derman explained, is about the “collaboration that [they] were doing in curating the show.” She described that the themes between her art and Chan’s art is that there are “many layers that are intersecting” and “conflicting with each other.” So the title Indoor Interference refers to the communication between each artwork and within the artworks.
Derman has been passionate about art “from a young age” and was also “always interested in writing and reading literature and poetry.” When looking at her art within the exhibition there is a pattern of short phrases, questions, and monologues that all have a very poetic feel with layers of imagery. Derman explained that a large quantity of the work within the exhibition was created during COVID. So the artwork developed out of “conversations with [herself], spending a lot of time alone, and spending a lot of time with social media and the news.” Derman used “phrases” that she found through these activities to relate the “dream-like or everyday imagery” to the writing. As a viewer, this technique makes the art feel very surreal. As if the dreamy essence of the imagery is seeping into reality through the language/text that is layered on top. “Making those works on paper was a way for me to process and bring together all the different personal experiences in the home and all the chaos that was happening in the city during the beginning of COVID,” Derman stated.
The majority of Derman’s art in the showcase was expressed through mediums such as embroidery and quilted fabric. “I’ve always really loved quilts. And one thing that I love about being an art teacher, in addition to being an artist, is that I get inspired to be a beginner again and to try out new things when I see my students take the risk to try new materials,” Derman said. So when deciding what materials worked best with the “collage-like” way that she worked, Derman chose to use the mediums that she “always really loved and appreciated” but never had the chance to apply.
There is also a consistent use of vibrant colors within Derman’s artwork. “When I was in graduate school, I had a friend who was a painter, and he was very critical…He was saying, ‘Wow, this work, why are you using all these girly colors?’” Derman now enjoys using “more traditionally female crafts” like the quilt and embroidery as well as bright and “girly colors” due to that experience with her friend. “It’s a little bit of a rebellious thing,” she explained.
As someone who has been an artist since the “first grade,” an art teacher, and a part of professional art exhibitions, Derman is definitely very experienced within the subject of art. So what is her advice for a student at Poly (like you!) who is also passionate about art? “Practice, practice, practice,” Derman stated, “I think one thing I would suggest, I started doing this in high school growing up in New York, is to try to get out and go see exhibitions and shows. Because a teacher can show you a little bit in class, but the variety of what artists make and are successful in making is huge.” Derman went on to describe New York as “the best place to be as an artist” because you have many museums to go to and a multitude of “artist-run spaces” created by young people that can provide a lot of inspiration. Then just “be observant about the world, about your feelings, about your experience, and anything that excites you, just keep track of it.”
