If creativity could ever blossom out of a drought ridden rose, then
that eruption is what saved me. I don't remember much of those
stolen years in Brooklyn, under lock and key - fueled by the horrific
memories and events of my parent's hellish past. The naivety and
innocence of my young thirteen years beckoned me to flee alone into
the "real" world only to be raped and impregnated by an evil stranger
who spoke lies to me through a hole in the side of his neck. Abortions
being illegal at that time, I was forced to reside at a Staten Island
unwed mothers home which was no less scary to me than the infamous Bate's Hotel. The only really amazing thing that happened to me at
that wayward place was taking daily sewing classes with the most
extraordinary teacher ever. Her theory on sewing was to teach her
teenage pregnant girls to make the most difficult couture suits and
garments possible; and then learn to alter them so that the garments
would fit us big bellied girls after we gave birth to our soon-to-be
given up for adoption babies.
However the story doesn't end there. After the tragic departure of my
baby girl, I returned home - only to take off again on my new
adventure. Radio tunes led me to Greenwich Village via the loud and
clunky "D" train. I had stumbled upon the east coast version of Haight
Ashbury, only better because of its folk and '50s beat influence. It
was the late 60s and yes, love and revolution was most definitely in
the air. Living occasional nightmares on those heavenly streets, I
made my new life. I miraculous found a job at a fabulous rockin' East
Village boutique that made wildly original clothing and costumes for
local musicians and the occasional visiting British rock star.
Medieval velvets meet punk leather! Music, art, and creativity where
oozing through cracks in brick brownstones and abandoned looking
warehouses and floating down tree lined streets on the coattails of
reefer and incense clouds.
At 15 I was taken in by my new found family. Tom, a great poet, was my
guru and protector. Ron, both an incredible poet and impressionist,
was my gateway to humor and artistic sensuous visions. Yet it
was Ron's beautiful wife Nicki that became my mentor, my true
inspiration into my hidden creative soul. Nicki was an unbelievable,
fabulous, sculptural crochet artist and designer; a forerunner in the
New York art movement of fiber arts: with her works in many famous
New York galleries and museums. Her medium was mostly yarn: with
designs and textures fit for nothing less than royalty. The
funny thing is I never picked up a crochet hook until many years
later, so it just blew my mind that through osmosis I had learned so
much of Nicki's amazing talents. My creative brain had been an empty
sponge that transformed into a radiant embellished passion flower,
thanks to Nicki's amazing wisdom and wonderful giving heart. Nicki,
Ron, and Tom were and will always be my muses, my kind-hearted and
selfless heroes who simply saved my life.
A few years passed, I finished high school and got a full scholarship
to Syracuse University were I majored in art and my new love,
photography. More years passed, I moved to California, and was lucky
enough to have backpacked through exotic Middle Eastern, European and
Latin America Countries. With my eyes wide open to all the beautiful,
worldly artist and crafts people, I was able to inhale in the rainbows
of it all. As a result of my many special exposures and experiences in
my early years, my own personal artistic abilities had mushroomed into
the explosion of my own creative being.
Some of my creations have been sold all over the world and are also
famously owned by celebrities such as Michael Franti and Winona Ryder
(yes, she paid for it!). I was even invited to appear on the KTU 103.5
FM radio station's 2004 New York Halloween parade float in my very
unique Cruella Deville (I made a 3D version of the
coat Cruella never
acquired).
My endless addictions and obsessions to the creation of art had also
saved my life. In the ecstasy of the dance and the passion of my
craft, I became the artist I never saw in myself until my two
beautiful children were grown. I am now ready two share my unique
gifts with you - the searchers of the creative realms within
yourselves.
- Sonya
