Biographical Information

Sofia V. Gonzalez is a Northern California native currently living and working in San Diego, California. Raised in Marin County, California, Sofia is inspired by her natural surroundings and uses processes of sewing, staining, and color to explore her sense of place. Sofia graduated from the University of San Francisco with a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts and Graphic Design in 2012. She received her MFA at California College of the Arts in San Francisco in 2014 where she focused on furthering her skills in textiles and natural dye techniques. Her work has been exhibited throughout the United States including California, the Midwest and the South. Recent awards include an Individual Artist Fellowship for her work in Contemporary Craft from the Arkansas Arts Council in 2017.

Since 2014, Sofia has taught community natural dye workshops that invite the public to learn how to make dye from waste materials and local plants. She is passionate about creating a sense of community and encouraging environmental appreciation and awareness through visual arts and textiles. Sofia has taught as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Art + Design at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the Department of Art at the University of Central Arkansas. She currently teaches throughout San Diego at Southwestern College, San Diego City College and San Diego State University.

In the studio, Sofia is researching the colors created from native and non-native plants in the San Diego region, paying specific attention to Kumeyaay ethnobotany and the migration of non-native plants, such as eucalyptus, to our area. Outside of her studio, you can find Sofia walking through South Park, digging in the dirt at the Art Produce garden, and cooking alongside her partner and their two (Instagram famous) cats.