Meet Local Artist Sandra Soldo Ackovic and Enjoy Her True Colors

It was Saturday, October 5. 2019. and my husband and I decided to attend great event called "Fine Arts Festival" and celebrate our wedding anniversary.

The event took place at City of Suwanee, located in State of Georgia. During that visit we had wonderful opportunity to meet widely appreciated, recognized and respected local artist Sandra, born in the City of Mostar-city that inspired so many great poets and artists.
Among so many artists, sculptors, jewlery makers and simple drawings, there was Sandra's art that stood out and got our instant attention because of so many bright colors and motives that had a story to tell. Sandra's smile and her artistic appearance, her endless love for art, her outgoing personality and accent that sounded familiar made this whole event even more interesting. We had so many questions, conversation was very easy and you could see Sandra simply enjoyed to tell us about every single one of her art pieces. There was one abstract photo that I called "Mozart for the eyes" because that blend of different blue colors was just masterpiece and so I decided to take photo with Sandra right next to that big painting.
Not long ago we had a chance to view Sandra's art again at local Suwanee Art Center and that was the moment when I decided to do interview with this great artist.
There is a quote that says: "Life is short, art is long" by Hippocrates. Let long live Sandra and let long live her art too for many more generations to enjoy her amazing talent and her art work.

1. Do you still have your very first painting and if you do what was it about?

Sandra: I have expressed fine art interest from early age, always drawing or painting with tempera, so it is hard for me to remember my first painting, it was probably in City of Mostar, my parents home. I have a collection of very special paintings through the years that mean a lot to me and I would never part with. They are my personal diary and emotional connection to the past, so I remember them all clearly.

2. Many artists were born on Neretva river. Did your inspiration start in City of Mostar or did you discover your artistic skills here in the US?

Sandra: My hometown, mountains and Adriatic Sea are my long lasting inspirations. I believe it has to do with energy of the place, untouched beauty to this day. I became artist here, because of war I left home when I was 18 years old and there was no time or place to do it back there. I said talent and desire to paint was always with me. I just waited for the right time in life to pursue my calling.

3. According to very bright colors you have in most of your paintings and your great communication skills you poses, you are very impressive person.

Sandra: Thank you for calling me impressive! LOL
I love to read, I always loved theater, I guess it comes to me naturally. I would not call myself good speaker, but I definitely like and know how to express myself. My paintings are story telling with the paints on canvas and my ideology is that life is so serious already, my art doesn't have to be. Use of bright colors articulate emotion better than any words can.

4. In most of your paintings woman is your primary motive, as well as animals. You said: "Woman is a symbol for creative force, birds for innocence and horses for freedom." Tell us why they are dominant in your art work?

Sandra: Symbolism is used in art for centuries, not necessarily that I started or am I going that way, but somehow all my attention and deepest emotions emerge when I paint women. Many times their faces are abstracted, because she is mostly symbol of a women and everything that one woman can achieve in the world. Painting animals also comes naturally, I did many commissions before and I know personally what healing powers and unconditional love our pets give us, so in my art that is what they do. They are either loving or emotionally charged (usually with horses) to express creative force.

5. You are very recognized local artist. For example, one of your art work is proudly found at Suwanee Welcome Center and that is really great. Tell us how it got there. Was it thanks to Fine Arts Festival?

Sandra: Suwanee Art Cente is local gallery and community of creatives, who support and love art in any shape and form and I have been a member for many years. My art work gets recognition and awards, but I have been with them since my "baby steps." I would recommend any artist who needs to have a chance to exhibit, share opinion or just mingle with other artists to look into it. I started doing Art Festivals before and Suwanee Art Festival is my hometown festival so how can I say no!

6. Is art appreciated enough in today's world and can this job secure income for living?

Sandra: I think art has always been appreciated, but it is hard to make a living. I myself had working studio and gallery in Asheville, NC for 3 years and it was really hard to juggle it all. My only concern is that privileged few get chances at high level and many other talented artists stay in the shade. We are not sales persons, it is important to have those skills or really good established galleries to sell it for us. For that it takes time and effort. Hunderds of paintings and years to develop unique style and personal language. Sometimes people do not understand what it takes to make a painting, jokingly when they ask me: "How long did it take you to paint this?" I will answer: "O, some 15/20 years so far."

7. You have great family and they are your biggest support. Do any of your kids have this kind of talent?

Sandra: I do have very supportive family and nothing would be possible without their understanding and support, it is not easy having an artist in the family. I have 2 boys and my older son has my talent, he did love to paint when he was younger, but now he has lost the interest and he is wrestling and doing martial arts. My younger is more like dad, more technology oriented, but he has always been my great critique, since he was 5 years old.

8. Did corona pandemic put stop on art shows and festivals and how do you present your art work when corona pandemic affected everybody's life?

Sandra: Last year has been devastating in many ways. Corona has taken its tolls on Art industry and it has been catastrophic for many artists who make full living out of Art shows and Art festivals. Everything has been canceled and we were shut down. For me, having my Asheville studio closed just before the pandemic whole world tumbled down. I was not selling last year. Luckily, things are getting back to normal.

9. Besides art work you are also making fashionable scarves. How can they be ordered?

Sandra: I have always liked the idea of wearable art, I started painting scarves as accessory to paintings, something simple yet beautiful as original and affordable present. Scarf can be ordered directly contacting me on any social media or calling me. Suwanee Art Center has some offered also.

10. Most of your work can be viewed on your social media accounts like Facebook page and Instagram and they well informative. What is your offical website?

Sandra: My official web page is: www.sandrasoldoackovic.com Facebook page: Sandra Soldo Ackovic Artist or on Instagram: soldo_art (I prefer Instagram to post my work mostly).

11. Did you ever paint Old Bridge-Symbol of Mostar?

Sandra: When I lived in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, I didn't paint Old Bridge, pomegranates, figs. When I left town I painted many, some as commissions, many as nostalgia for life left. It is symbol of my hometown that bears its name, that I always return to gratefully. It is cold emerald river, chilly winds from the North through the valley, it is youth, family, love, it is everything.

12. Tell us about your future art shows. Where and when will your art be presented next?

Sandra: I had open studio and gallery in Asheville, NC. Under right circumstance I would open gallery mostly because of direct interaction with people, but for now I enjoy painting in my home studio. My art work can be seen at "Suwanee Art Center" at Suwanee GA and upcoming World of Art Festival in Cumming GA will be on September 11th.