Professional Curation Services
Expert Art Advice
from a Professional Curator
Sonya Sparks is the owner and chief curator at Sparks Gallery. Sonya studied art in conjunction with obtaining her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at the University of San Diego. With over 10 years of curatorial experience, Sonya has curated exhibitions for multiple organizations, including, but not limited to: the Oceanside Museum of Art Artist Alliance, Allied Craftsmen of San Diego, Cannon Art Gallery (Carlsbad, CA), and the Escondido Arts Partnership.
Artists:
No more guessing why galleries are not taking your calls and emails. At the end of our first meeting, you will have personalized, actionable guidance on what direction you should take for preparing your portfolio and marketing materials, building your credentials, experimenting with new work, and where to find opportunities to show and sell work. I provide guidance so you can have clarity on how to approach galleries, and a support system from me personally to form your foundations to reach your goals.
This session is ideal for emerging artists who are not sure what direction to take to prepare their portfolio and to catch the eye of galleries, or artists who have had a long pause in their career and are starting up again. This session is not for the purpose of proposing your work for gallery representation at Sparks Gallery.
In our 1:1 art consultation, you will discover:
- 5 things every artist needs to have before getting into a commercial art gallery
- How setting up your foundations will allow for a solid base to build your artist “brand”
- How to propose exhibitions/work to galleries
- Inspirations based on my impression of the direction of your work
- Actionable advice for your personal art journey
2023 RATES – book in December for the lowest pricing available before rates increase.
- Virtual art consultation (ONLINE) 1 hour: $100
2024 RATES
- Virtual art consultation (ONLINE) 1 hour: $265
BOOK HERE:
Yes, I want personal guidance for my art
What artists are saying:
“I had the pleasure of meeting Sonya Sparks at her beautiful art gallery for a one-on-one portfolio review of my bronze sculpture series. As a long-time artist and first-time participant in a portfolio review, I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, Sonya exceeded my expectations with her informative and insightful thoughts and ideas about my style and approach to my art. She recommended valuable strategies to keep me going in the right direction and answered all my questions with candor.
As an artist, it’s great to know that there are people like Sonya that are willing to be present in the art community and help artists thrive and improve their work from the knowledge she has gained from years of experience as a gallery owner and her passion for art.
I highly recommend Sonya’s expertise to artists seeking guidance and inspiration, and a fresh perspective on their work. I look forward to applying her suggestions to help me achieve my goals as an artist.
Thank you, Sonya, for your dedication to the art community and for providing me with an invaluable portfolio review experience.”
-IAN SISO ART
Book an art consult with Sonya
Collectors:
Whether you are just starting your collection, or have a large collection, I am here to support your personal curation project. I will meet in your space to provide guidance for your overall collection and provide visual recommendations to curate your space. Interested in full-circle support for your collection? We will discuss appraisals for insurance, packaging pieces to store, expert curation for physical display of the work, cataloging the work in your collection along with documentation, and legacy/estate planning for who will inherit with work. I provide guidance so you can have clarity on any needs for your collection, and you receive a support system from me personally.
This session is ideal for collectors who would like to feel confident that their collection is visually and/or thematically cohesive, presented appropriately, and would like guidance on what is recommended for the health of their collection.
In our 1:1 curatorial session, you will receive:
- Guidance based on your existing collection
- Placement suggestions based on visual rhythm throughout the space
- Recommendations for maintaining and servicing your collection
- Your artwork may be curated digitally from photos of your space, and provided to you to help guide your visual planning. (This is an additional hourly rate; please inquire during our session.)
- Recommendations for full-circle support for your collection.
RATES:
- On-site consultation – 1 hour – $800
BOOK HERE:
Yes, I need the perspective of a professional curator
What clients are saying:
“I have known Sonya for many years and know her to be a focused person in pursuit of her goals, while at the same time exhibiting a zest for life. She always begins projects and events with the end result in mind, which always results in high quality and aesthetic brilliance. Her tenacity to stick with complex and difficult challenges through to completion of her goals has been most recently exhibited in the completion of the Sparks Gallery in San Diego.
Her vision has come to life in this new Gallery which displays a rare mastery of the balance of both technical complexity and artistic taste so typical of her character.
I can recommend Sonya as well for being well-connected with the San Diego contemporary arts community, which will be exhibiting in the Sparks Gallery.” -David Buell
Examples of Notable Past Curatorial Projects
Chief Curator, Sparks Gallery, 2012 – present
2021 Juried Biennial, Cannon Art Gallery, Co-Juror with Andrew Ütt
2021 Art Glass Association of Southern California 40th Annual Members’ Exhibition at Spanish Village Art Center Gallery 21 in Balboa Park, Co-Juror
Escondido Arts Partnership, “The Big Little Art Show” 2020, Juror
References available upon request.
“Sonya is a visionary and consummate professional- from the overall mission down to the finite details. Her open minded collaborative style, while keeping on a productive schedule, resulted in a spectacular exhibition and series of events for my solo show! I look forward to all opportunities to work with her.”
-Alexandra Hart, 2017 “Symbiosis” Solo Exhibition Artist
