Alicia Sotherland is a self taught artist who began painting in 1999, after several other career pursuits. Having been a child of artists, she was surrounded by the world of art and encouraged when she would draw. However, Alicia never thought about being and artist until the fall in 1999 when she decided to make a career change. Having drawn mostly faces as a child, it seemed natural for her to begin with the portrait. “Although I paint other subjects, the portrait and figure have always been my passion. For me there is no better way to express emotion than with a face, or to tell a story through pose and gesture in a specific moment. To take the viewer where I am going in my paintings is my goal. To capture that split second in life that for some reason will be remembered forever. We all experience those fleeting seconds in our daily lives. I want to record such moments so we can see them, and feel them again and again. Whether they are happy sad, or another feeling, these are what I want to portray.” Alicia lives in Escondido, CA where she paints in her studio at home with her supportive and loving husband and several cats. “I keep my life simple and quiet. Art is my career and it brings a lot of Peace and Joy to my life. However, it’s my life that brings a lot of Joy and Peace to my art.”
