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Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Historians — those who study the past, speak through the present, and sense the future — reimagine what once was to better understand the now. 

Omar Soto, often known as a photographer, is also a visual historian — someone who pieces together memory, myth, and material. Drawing inspiration from Renaissance painting, Omar recreates narratives using found objects with familiar faces from their *QTBIPOC community.  

Their work bends time. It becomes a conversation between the classical and the contemporary, where the surreal turns into sanctuary, and each photograph opens a portal to both resistance and reverence. 

Flip through the pages of those ancient stories. 

Imagine a modern setting for that image. 

Live it for an instant. Capture it. Reclaim it. 

Join us for a hands-on photography and collage workshop with Omar Soto, presented by How I Became an Artista in collaboration with thems. Participants will be invited to reinterpret classical art through the lens of their own modern lives — using props, collage, and visual storytelling to insert themselves into the frame. 

Part of "Life Without Pain, Love Without Fear" Queer Photo Exhibition hosted by thems. This exhibition will explore themes of migration within the queer community, highlighting personal, intergenerational, and communal stories of movement and transformation. Items made at this HIBAA will be featured in the exhibition will have the opportunity to be featured in the exhibition opening June 21st at Afternoons Studio 
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Bio: Sotos’ photography is predominantly inspired by QTBIPOC communities as well as their own experiences as an undocumented non-binary person. Other major references include music, art, and religious iconography often associated with Mexican or Latinx culture. The surreal and escapist themes in Soto’s work, often conveyed through props, costumes, and light manipulation, are in direct response to the ongoing political struggles that minorities face while living in conservative Arizona. Photography has provided Soto with the opportunity to both uplift my community and subvert the marginalization we so often endure. 

In this workshop, we aim to cover:

• Review classical images and recreate them through photography, propping and collage.

What to Bring:
All materials provided. Feel free to bring any specific collage materials that inspire you (stickers, magazines, etc.)

Tickets:
Free. RSVP through CALA Alliance.

Location: Afternoons Studio - 2811 N 7th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85007

Health + Safety:

This workshop is 18+. We will be using sharp tools and reviewing artwork that may not be suitable for children.