Located in the Sterling Hardware Building in the Gaslamp Quarter District of downtown San Diego, Sparks Gallery is a contemporary art gallery and serves as a premier mid-sized event venue for both public and private gatherings.
Founded in 2013, Sparks Gallery exhibits and sells original Contemporary Artwork primarily by Southern California artists who innovate and provide excellent craftsmanship in a multitude of mediums. Through our exhibitions, we aim to elevate both emerging and established artists, providing a platform for their voices to be heard and celebrated. We stand for accessible, affordable, and purposeful art and jewelry that is locally made. We stand against art being inaccessible, exclusionary, and confusing to purchase, and against “art” that is made in a factory.
ABN: Introduce yourself — who are you, what is the vision of your gallery, and how do you work with artists?Sparks: Hi, I’m Sonya Sparks, owner and chief curator at Sparks Gallery in downtown San Diego. With a focus on surreal and impressionistic artwork, the gallery curates towards emotive works with strong narratives, in themes ranging from portraiture and figurative to landscape and conceptual. I founded Sparks Gallery in 2013 to encourage the patronage of local artists, support local art groups and institutions, and to educate the public about Southern California artists. We also support artists by offering consultations to develop their business and gallery strategy.
ABN: What is your background?
Sparks: I studied art while obtaining my bachelor’s degree in business administration at the University of San Diego. I worked in international wholesale and online marketing, then search engine optimization (SEO).
ABN: What is your work philosophy and how does that impact the gallery?
Sparks: As an inducted member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society, I champion ethical business leadership and lead with quality and customer service at the forefront. This results in a professional, welcoming environment in the gallery where we clearly show the prices of the artwork and have clear internal guidelines that we follow to create a holistic client experience.
ABN: What artist(s) inspire you?
Sparks: I am inspired by all the artists that we show, however, I am partial to photographic work and admire those who can do it well. Some of the contemporary photographers that I appreciate and who I am inspired by who reside locally are: Paul Turounet, Michael Mulno, Suda House, Annalise Neil, David Fokos, Philipp Scholz Rittermann, to name a few. I studied the work of several international photographers and performance artists who inspired me to develop my own personal work surrounding the ideas of consumerism, consumption, and branding while in college.
ABN: What is the best advice you’ve received?
Sparks: There is no one piece of advice that I want to underscore, but rather I have had great mentors who, along the way, have guided me as I come up against roadblocks or need to bounce ideas off of someone.
ABN: You recently had a 1920s Deco Party in the gallery and you host parties and openings regularly. Tell us about them and why they are importnat to the gallery.
ABN: When you are not working, where can we find you?
Sparks: When I am not working, I spend time in the mountains or desert with my family, or I am at home homeschooling my children.
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