Sofya Mervis's full wall at ArtOMatic 2009.

Sofya is the other person on floor 2 (my home floor) whose work cought my eye my first run through.  I'll admit it was the totality of the panel that stopped me, but it was the work, expecially the work on the far right (detail to the right here) that stopped me and held me.

Let me say I love the work with the wood grain.  Then let me say that this piece is haunting, so I asked Sofya to tell me a bit more about it.  Here's what she said:

The painting on the right "It's Just a Dirty Mirror" is 16"x20" oil, lacquer, make-up and nail polish on canvas. It is the first of a series of portraits using magazine models portraying destruction by make-up. With her hair morphing into blood-like drips while even her silhouette dissolves, she is so oblivious to the mauling of her image. She still thinks she looks fabulous and can't look past her own nose as her face melts off. 

You might ask why this meets my criteria of "Wanting to live with it."  And I'd have to answer: because it tells a story.  Which may, in the end be my overall criteria:  can I interact with the piece?  Do I think it and I will weave enough new stories over the years to come that I will never lose interest?  For this piece, I answer absolutely yes!

Here's Sofya's interview:

Q:How many ArtOMatics have you done, and if more than 1, what keeps you coming back? 

A: This is my first Artomatic, but I will definitely be back. It's such a great experience when one is free to curate her own exhibit.

Q:Where can one find you this year?

A: Space 2 10

Q:How did you choose what to show at ArtOMatic?

A: It was an organic process, as with most of my work. I wanted to paint a mural that incorporates the wood grain. I also wanted to show my latest work, so I incorporated the colors found in my latest pieces into the mural. 

Q:How long have you been making art?  What do you do when/if you hit a slump?

A: I've been making art since I was a child, but professionally for about 10 years. When I hit a slump now, I just take a break and come back to it at a later time. At art school, with the volume of work that was due I had painter's block all the time and I would definitely lose sleep over it. Sometimes the answer would appear in the midst of the sleep-deprived delirium. I have to look at my work with a certain sense of humor, knowing sometimes the answer is to not take myself too seriously.

Q: Who are your favorite artists and what inspiration do you draw from them?
A: Off the top of my head: Marilyn Minter, Roberto Matta, Anselm Kiefer, Olafur Elliason, Matthew Ritchie. I love how Marilyn Minter's ideas of what's beautiful and dirty, Roberto Matta's transitions, Kiefer's use of texture, Elliason's use of light and Matthew Ritchie's use of the entire gallery space as painting.

Q: Have you had a chance to look around ArtOMatic yet this year?  Do you have any instant favorites?  any returning favorites?

A: So far I've looked over the 2nd floor and the 7th floor (couldn't miss the Peeps show!) On the 2nd floor, your exhibit definitely stood out along with Deyanira Brown, Margaret Dowell, and Ben Tolman. On the 7th floor, I enjoyed Mei Mei Chang and Emma O'Rourke, along with the multitude of rebel-against-the-corporate-system installations

Q:Where else can we see your work? 

A:I should have some Fall shows coming up, but the best thing is to check my website  or blog.

Q:Anything else you'd like to add about yourself, your work, art in general?

A: It's all about the paint, really.