Art is a display of emotion; it’s a showcase of feelings that are brought out by the artist for it to have a physical manifestation. Art comes in a variety of forms and one of those is analog collage art. This is an art that is created by using magazines letters and images to make a piece that comes from a combination of many magazines to create something new.   

Sonia M. Rodriguez is a CSU Bakersfield alumni, who currently works as the social media coordinator for the Kegley Institute of Ethics and resides in Bakersfield. She was first introduced to analog collage art by a friend in 2019 and since has created over 100 pieces. She describes the process as long but satisfying.  

“It can take 3-5 hours. I hand cut, paste, and upload the piece,” said Rodriguez.  

Rodriquez explained that when she previously lived in Fresno she sold her art through art hops. These are settings where artists sold their work, and there she sold her pieces ranging from $15 – $50. She talked about the reason she does art more than anything which is because it is an outlet for her inner expressions.  

“They show what I feel. They’re not all from the same headspace, but they all helped me express myself in a time where it was important that I did,” explained Rodriguez.  

Roman Lost, a local artist who specializes in sculpting gives some insight into the correlation between art and emotion and how he thinks collage art expresses it so vividly. 

“With collage art, it represents more visual than anything. It creates a new sense of vision from the artist… Whenever looking at collage art you can see the meaning so clearly, and I like that. Art in general can help an audience see a meaning. It visualizes emotion for others…,” said Lost.  

This is exactly what Rodriguez wants to show with her art. It’s meant to show others that feelings need a way to express themselves. She explains that she has gone through a lot of hardships and she doesn’t want those moments in her life that she overcame to feel like it was for nothing, but rather she wants to turn those moments into something beautiful.  

For Rodriguez, a lot of her early art is based on what she felt with heartbreak and mental health. She said that even going back to look at those pieces can be hard, but was important for the outlet it gave her. She quotes a line from one of her favorite shows, Bojack Horsemen.  

“All the trauma that I have has to mean something, and I have to create art, or all this trauma I have is for nothing,” said Rodriguez.  

She continues by explaining that it was always the pieces that came from her in a dark place that received the most likes and clicks because it’s what so many relate to, but she wants to make it clear that art is representative of oneself, and it can be happy like her art is now.  

Rodriguez wants to make Bakersfield which she considers a second home more of an art community. She wants to let people know that it is okay to make art the way you want to make it. If you’re ever feeling like you need to express yourself get a pair of scissors, glue, and some old magazines and create something that shows how you feel.