Who is Wet Paint?

It has been about two weeks since our interview with Sophia Dawson and we are still processing the impact that her words, and work have had on us as if it were only a few hours ago. Sophia is a young Brooklynite, mother, "talented and self-motivated African American woman." An artist of epic proportions, Sophia paints life size stories of political prisoners, victims of police brutality, and those who have been wrongly incarcerated, such as the Central Park 5.

In her own words, Sophia says: "I endeavor to create a narrative art that addresses human and political struggle. In doing so, my aim is to convey the true stories and experiences of oppressed people from political movements in ways that more broadly form, shade and convey the individual and collective injustices they face. Their personal evolution, political activism and experiences as political prisoners are my inspiration. Political prisoners are activists who so challenge the prevailing status quo that they have been biasly charged or falsely convicted and sentenced to serve time as an example to the general populous and as a way to stigmatize and criminalize a movement."

Sophia tells the story of her subjects through capturing the complexity of their lives in dynamic color and large scale correspondence she has with them.

"I begin my work on a specific figure by first researching and educating myself, which includes reading autobiographies, watching documentaries, participating in efforts and events that support the subject’s political efforts and writing letters to them as well. I start each painting on a background of black gesso. Starting from black is a conscious artistic exercise and statement on my part which represents opposition to my art education at institutions that molded an earlier belief that art had to begin on a surface that was ‘pure and white’. My art is a tool to bring people from different ethnicities, social statuses, beliefs and backgrounds together to educate them and develop a dialogue on who the individuals in my portraits are, their significance and why their struggle is relevant today. They have been intentionally excluded from mainstream American History. Their stories must not be forgotten."

When we first met Sophia, she was facilitating a workshop called the "To Be Free Project." There, she asked the group, "what does free feel like to you?" Many people in the room had answers at the ready, and some found it more difficult to imagine what free could/would truly feel like. Could I fly? Could I move about freely? Could I say whatever I wanted?

In our conversation with Sophia, we had the opportunity to ask her what "free" means to her. Stay tuned to find out what Sophia has to say about freedom, religion, growing up in Brooklyn, and how these intersections have impacted her work as an artist.

You can learn more about Sophia, view her art and connect with her at her website: http://www.sophia-dawson.com/​