HARLINGEN — The shy young girl sat quietly with her family recently at a local restaurant.
Her mother, parents and siblings were a lively crew, filled with an artistic energy that was refreshing.
Even in Sofia Trevino’s quiet demeanor you could sense the power of her creative endeavors.
She’s only 7, but her Crayola painting “Ambition” has already captured attention at the national level.
“I am proud,” said the Bonham Elementary third grader.
Her painting reveals a joyous intensity, a flare for life and color. Dancers and athletes — reflections of her other various endeavors — sail away from canvas across a colorful background.
The soft-edged areas of mauve, blue and purple show an imagination alive with an innocent love for life.
The young painter in the picture shows that Sofia has an admirable understanding of proportion in depicting the human figure.
“I drew myself,” she said. “There was this ballerina and a gymnast and a runner.”
Amid the murmur of lunch crowd voices, she seemed slowly to immerse herself in her work.
“That’s the drawing of the headphones with musical notes,” she said, pointing to the picture.
The work is alive with so many different parts: four young ladies in different guises, the musical notation, and cut-out yellow human figures joining hands together in a circle.
The work is so impressive it’s captured the attention of two contests.
“What’s Your Story?” That theme from this year’s Parent Teacher Association Reflections contest is an apt question in any sense. But certainly the life of a young artist inevitably has a story uniquely his or her own, and so it is with Sofia.
She received a plaque for her success in “What’s Your Story.” Not long after, she became a finalist in the National Crayola Empowering Students Through Creative leadership Art Exhibition Competition.
As part of the national recognition, Sofia was awarded a vast collection of Crayola products. While she’s excited about having so many new colorful pieces from Crayola, she’s more interested in drawing.
“Coloring takes a lot of time,” she said. “I like to draw more. I draw what I want to draw. Coloring books already have pictures. I draw what I feel.”
Her work is scheduled to be officially presented in September to the United States Department of Education in Washington, D.C., at a ceremony honoring all finalists.
Her family is very proud of her.
“I was surprised, excited,” said her mother Oneida Trevino, recalling when Sofia’s work began winning such accolades.
“I didn’t think it would be received at that level. She did well city-wide and state-wide. I feel happy and excited.”
