As a child, senior Julia Sohn explored every artistic medium she could get her hands on. A self-identified “typical artsy kid,” she always enjoyed drawing diagrams in class and pursued art both in the classroom and as a hobby.
This past summer, Julia participated in a photography residency with the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford. “It was really cool,” she said. “It was just for high schoolers, and we had the museum to ourselves for a six-week program. It was very fun.” In the program, Julia and her peers were mentored by freelance photographer Joël Cintron and arts curator Bethani Blake.
Julia was first taught the basics of camera work, which laid a foundation for the following weeks filled with elements of composition and capturing motion. “I learned how to attach meaning to my art,” Julia reflected. “I’m not going to work in art in the future, so when I want to draw or paint something, I just do it for fun. But, since my work is up in an exhibition, I needed to have an explanation behind my work.”
A member of the KO community since sixth grade, Julia noted the impact the KO arts department has had on her career. “The KO art room is always a space for me to be creative,” she said. “I think [the art program] is something that KO does really well and is really special. The facilities just bring me into an environment where I can be my most creative self.”
Outside of the art realm, Julia can be found pursuing a multitude of different hobbies. “I’m a pretty creative person, so I play the guitar and I sing,” she mentioned. “I also play volleyball.” While school can be hectic, Julia makes time to explore her passions both within and outside the classroom.
Julia shared some important advice for fellow artists. “Don’t be so critical with yourself,” she said. “Just embrace your art. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Even if it’s really bad, it doesn’t matter if you’re just doing it for yourself, so appreciate the process. If you do it enough you’ll get a lot better, so just stick with it and don’t be afraid to fail.”
After graduation, Julia is excited to see where her artistic talents will lead her. “I feel like life, especially after graduating, can be very up and down, so I think I’m just going to go with the flow,” she said. “As of now, I’ll just pursue art as a hobby, but maybe I’ll try to sell some art one day. I’m interested to see what the future holds.”
In addition to gaining tremendous experience and knowledge into the field of photography, the program also granted a $600 stipend. Julia currently has her work displayed in a temporary exhibit in the Wadsworth and in the KO art gallery next to Roberts Theater. We wish Julia the best of luck with her future artistic endeavors!
