We were lucky to catch up with Ratha Sok recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Ratha, thanks for joining us today. Can you tell us about a time that your work has been misunderstood? Why do you think it happened and did any interesting insights emerge from the experience?

As a minority artist, I often feel one or two things. The first is undervalued and the second is being tokenized for the sake of an organization. Being born and raised and Denver I was part of the statistics of delinquent youths in an underrepresented area, specifically the Westwood neighborhood. I ended up getting into the justice system and my parents at the time were not equipped with the education to get me straightened out as most would say. Though they attempted cultural interventions it was not necessarily aligned with the social expectations of youth and young adults at the time. It was not their fault but a cultural barrier as I am a first-generation Cambodian American and my parents escaped the Khmer Rouge genocide in the late 70s. That experience drew me to the streets and ultimately led me to graffiti. Graffiti, sparked my creative journey as it was a creative outlet and a layer of adrenalin. As my graffiti work evolved into other opportunities such as streetwear and murals I expanded my networks and grew more local art recognition.

My creativity began to expand in ways I did not expect but it quickly drew the attention of non-profits and community organizers. With my current understanding of funding for art, in my early career, I was taking on lots of small-budget or in-kind projects, which ultimately took a toll on my creative motivations. Reflecting back, I felt undervalued but at the same time tokenized thinking if I were not a minority would I have been given more exposure? Or the opportunity just to be an artist of color that “needed” to be represented. Although I do appreciate all my past experiences and opportunities, I have grown to be confident in my work and the value of my work.

Ratha, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am an experienced artist with years of valuable personal work and community work. My main focus is executing murals but this skill comes from years of trial and error and even today I am a student of the art. I offer both public and private mural commissions both locally and nationally. I have worked with individual clients to corporate clients from designs, branding, and public art. In my profession, I value storytelling and the creative process- which I feel gives me the edge. It is not only creating visual art but capturing community stories.

I am most proud of facing adversity and I am a self-taught artist. It has given me the skills and confidence to pursue this career full-time. I want future clients to know that when working with me I offer professionalism and execution in my work.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, it is about expressing stories through various mediums or art. Through creativity, I want to be a role model for those individuals with similar backgrounds as myself. I want to show that opportunities are out there and if you put your mind to it, you can achieve what you put your mind to. Ultimately, it is rewarding every day to get to wake up and actively pursue my creative passions.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

The mission that drives my creative journey is to continue to develop my skills and techniques to be a lifelong learner. This allows me the opportunity to open doors for others who may have similar interests.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rathasok.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_rathasok/