I am a multidisciplinary artist and craftsperson inspired by the lack of sociopolitical histories available to those with roots in heavily colonized parts of the world. My work finds itself inside a long history of beaded objects used as storytelling mechanisms and history keeping devices throughout Latin America. I use sculptural reinterpretations of familiar domestic objects along with beaded text to express feelings of loss, questioning, and a need for community. Writing about my own family dynamics and personal relationships, I invoke a universal understanding between myself and my audience. Through the hyper-intimate we find common ground. I often reference how my own familial history in Mexico and Nicaragua has been lost to violence, the poor record keeping of various governments, and secrets kept by women who needed to protect their families. In beading statements, questions, and problems, I am contributing to my family's written record and reaching towards the viewer for understanding. I am documenting my history as it happens.

Sophia Karina English