SOFIA MARIA PAZ
To survive is to find meaning in the suffering. This is the core value that has fueled my multidisciplinary practice since receiving my printmaking MFA degree from Arizona State University. As an Argentine-American artist, currently residing in South Beach, Florida, I seek my art to provoke a new profound form of viewer engagement that can evoke compassion, raise awareness, and instigate social change.
Having lived across three different continents, my mind’s eye is heavily driven to superimpose visual elements from diverse sources—including 18th century art, social media, 1970’s horror films, fairy tales, and crime scene photography—to create fantastical scenes with a symbolic narrative, portraying escapism and entrapment through the lens of a modern collective subconscious.
I began combining print media and digital photo-compositing while working alongside Professor Emeritus, John Risseeuw, on numerous cross-disciplinary mixed media collaborations with cosmologist, Dr. Laurence Krauss, philosopher Cheshire Calhoun, and Dr. Aditi Chattopadhyay from ASU’s AIMS Center. Continuing to create projects with other multidisciplinary artists—including Eric Avery, Karen Kunc, Kathryn Maxwell, Cannupa Hanska Luger, and others—lead me to focus my practice on the post traumatic effects of childhood sexual abuse, human trafficking, and domestic violence. These being subjects of global concern, my hope is to continue exhibiting on an international platform beyond the United States and Portugal, as a means to raise awareness and collectively help stop child exploitation.
Sofia Maria Paz
Multimedia photo-compositor & printmaker
Contact
EDUCATION
Masters in Fine Art, Printmaking
Arizona State University; Tempe, AZ
Bachelors in Fine Art in Studio Art
The University of Texas at Austin; Austin, TX
University Honors: Fall 2012–Fall 2014
Dec
2018
Dec
2014
Photo-compositing
Printmaking & Paper Engineering
Painting & Drawing
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
8/17/2017–4/27/2018
10/1/2017–4/30/2017
8/18/2016 - 1/12/2016
8/25/2016–6/9/2017
12/16/2015–11/7/2017
11/15/2015–1/11/2016
8/2014–4/2015
Herberger Institute of Art & Design at Arizona State University; Tempe, AZ.
2D Design Instructor
Taught undergraduate students the basic principles and fundamentals of two-dimensional pictorial design through a variety of hands-on projects, multimedia demonstrations, and slide lectures that covered visual vocabulary and contemporary art theory.
Teaching Assistant for Professional Practices in Design & Arts
Assisted faculty associate, Ann Morton, in grading student assignments, taking class attendance, and keeping record of students' completion on assignments and blog postings.
Color Theory Instructor
Taught undergraduate students the foundation principles of color theory in visual art through a series of slide lectures, ink and acrylic mixing demonstrations, assigned readings, art museum visits, vocabulary-focused quizzes, and group class critiques.
President of the Diablo Printmakers' Guild
Established ASU's first official printmaking student organization alongside creating the club's website, Facebook, and Instagram page. Organized club meetings, exhibitions, workshops, and vending tents to raise club funds in order to send members to conferences and cover travel expenses for visiting artists to make collaborative editions with our undergraduate and graduate students.
Creative Research Assistant
Assisted the master letterpress printmaker and book artist, John Risseeuw, on his collaborative portfolio project, through which we invited senior ASU professors to create a series of letterpress artworks inspired by their specialized fields of study.
Creative Research Graduate Assistant at Pyracantha Press
Assisted Prof. Heather Green in redesigning ASU's letterpress and book arts labs by rearranging type cases, cabinets, and presses, and catalogued 1,500 cases of type. Also worked alongside Pyracantha Press Studio manager, Dan Mayer, on creative projects produced by Pyracantha Press.
The University of Texas at Austin; Austin, TX.
Longhorn Printmaker's Secretary
Documented the proceedings of club meetings and activities, managed correspondences with guest artists helped organized and curate club sponsored exhibitions, and assisted with membership recruitment.
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2019
2019
2018
2018
2018
2018
2017
2017
2017
2016–2017
2016
2016
2015–2016
2015
2014
2014
2014
2014
Lost In Eden, private viewing curated by Society.10, at 1 Hotel South Beach; Miami Beach, FL.
ArtXTech, curated by ATO Gallery, at Blockchain Center; Miami, FL.
Fractured Memory, solo exhibition, at Step Gallery; Phoenix, AZ.
Chaos Theory 19, curated by Randy Slack, at Legend City Studios; Phoenix, AZ.
1st Annual Galbut Prize Exhibit, at ASU's Harry Wood Gallery; Tempe, AZ.
Otherworldly, curated by Kenosha Drucker, at Megaphone; Phoenix, AZ.
SAVOR Showcase, hosted by RAW Artists, at The Pressroom; Phoenix, AZ.
9th International Biennial Douro 2018, international biennial curated by Nuno Canelas; Douro, Portugal.
3rd Global Print 2017, international exhibition at the Douro Museum curated by Nuno Canelas; Régua, Portugal.
Within & Out group exhibition curated by Miguel Monzon, at Modified Arts; Phoenix, AZ.
Diablo Printmaker's Guild First National Juried Exhibition, Harry Wood Gallery at Arizona State University; Tempe, AZ.
Imprint One, VAM Gallery at Austin Oaks Church; Austin, TX.
Thirty Eight Years of Printmaking With Tim High - Works from the Student Collection, VAM Gallery at Austin Oaks Church; Austin, TX.
The W Hotel, selected work Defacement; Austin, TX.
2015 Senior Art Exhibition, Visual Arts Center at The University of Texas at Austin; Austin, TX.
Blowout X, FAB Gallery at The University of Texas at Austin; Austin, TX.
Praxis, Visual Arts Center at The University of Texas at Austin; Austin, TX.
COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS
2018
2018
2017–2018
2017
2017
2016
2016
2015
2015
Doing Valuable Time, fifty edition letterpress print (in collaboration with Philosophy Prof. Cheshire Calhoun, John Risseeuw, & Tyler Cook).
From The Dancehall To The Press, twelve artist 20 edition print exchange per invitation by Kathryn Maxwell.
Knowledge to Safety: A New Frontier, fifty edition multimedia print (in collaboration with Prof. of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Aditi Chattopadhyay, John Risseeuw, Dr. Christopher Sorini, & Dr. Bonsung Koo).
Semographics III Mono-printing Marathon (in collaboration with Eric Avery, Sandra C. Fernandez, Tim High, John Hitchcock, Stephanie Hunder, Brian Johnson, Amanda Knowles, Karen Kunc, Kathryn Maxwell, David Newman, & Lenore Thomas).
Irontype, twenty-five edition print (in collaboration with ceramist Cannupa Hanska Luger, & Louise Fisher).
From Nothing to Everything, fifty edition multimedia print (in collaboration with Physicist Dr. Lawrence Krauss, Dr. Jayden Newstead, & John Risseeuw).
35 Faces of Dr Petko, hundred-and-twenty edition letterpress print (in collaboration with Jessica Spring, Dan Mayer, & Cindi Iverson).
Blind Date, hand reduction screenprint (in collaboration with Tim High—I created the print's original digital compositing of the appropriated images).
Runwire Magenta, thirty edition screenprint (in collaboration with Muriel Magenta, Mary Hood Mac Bydalek, Janet Diaz, Emily Ritter, & Shangning Wang).
AWARDS & HONORS
2020
2018
2017
2016
2016
2016
2016
2015
2015
2014
2012–2014
2011–2012
5th & 6th Finalist In Sock It To Me sock design contest, awarded by New Avenues For Youth and Sock It To Me design company.
GPSA Teaching Excellence Award, awarded by Graduate Professional Student Association in the amount of $500 in recognition for exemplary teaching at Arizona State University.
1st Place Category Lithography in New Impressions Competition, awarded by Speedball printmaking supplies.
Student Enrichment Grant, awarded by the Herberger Institute of Design & the Arts and Arizona State University'sSchool of Art to travel and secure an invitation as Semographics III's collaborative artist at the Southern Graphics Council in Atlanta, GA.
Herberger Student Scholars Award, scholarship awarded by the Herberger Institute of Design & the Arts for the 2016–2017 academic year.
Arrowmont & CBAA Joint Travel Scholarship, awarded by the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts and the College Book Arts Association to attend Arrowmont's fresco painting workshop in Gatlinburg, TN.
GPSA Travel Grant, awarded by Graduate and Professional Student Association to attend the Southern Graphics Council in Portland, OR.
2nd Place Category Wildcard in New Impressions Competition, awarded by Speedball printmaking supplies.
Bob Anderson Memorial Travel Scholarship, awarded by printmaking faculty at The University of Texas at Austin, TX.
Best in Show Printmaking Portfolio at Blowout X, awarded by printmaking faculty at The University of Texas at Austin, TX.
Kay Pearson Harrison Endowed Presidential Scholarship in Art, awarded by the College of Fine Arts at The University of Texas at Austin, TX.
University Honors at the University of Texas at Austin; Austin, TX.
Dean's List (2 semesters) at St. Edwards University; Austin, TX.
PERMANENT COLLECTIONS
2019
2018
2018
2014
2014
Hutchinson Collection, "Burning Ants" and "Muzzled," works purchased by William Hutchinson, Dallas, TX.
Steve & Niel Molaver Private Collection, "Catching Flies" and "Pinky Promise," works purchased by Steve Molaver, Phoenix, AZ.
Zuckerman Museum of Art SGC International archives collection, "Confines of A Rubber Duck" From The Dancehall To The Press trade portfolio, 20th edition.
The University of Texas at Austin Serigraphy Teaching Permanent Collection, "Countenance In The Storm," works selected by printmaker Timothy G. High.
The University of Texas at Austin Serigraphy Teaching Permanent Collection, "Unfolded," works selected by printmaker Timothy G. High.
PRESS
2021
2019
2018
2018
2016
"Artist Sofia Paz Creates T-shirt Campaign to Help End Child Sex Trafficking," Miami Chronicles, April, 2021.
"Getting to Know the Superbly Talented Sofia Maria Paz," interview by Carrie Eldridge, November, 2019.
"Life and Art with Sofia Maria Paz," Voyage Phoenix Magazine, June, 2018.
Supersition [Review] online literary magazine, Issue 22, 1 December, 2018.
High, Timothy, "Imprint One," Journal of The Print World, July, 2016, pg. 19–21.
SELECTED SKILLS
Proficiency
Serigraphy
Relief
Intaglio
Lithography
Monoprinting
Letterpress & Book arts
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Indesign
Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, & Powerpoint)
Mac OSX & Windows operating systems
LANGUAGE SKILLS
Fluent
Fluent
Basic Level