Hello! Thanks for stopping by. If we don’t know each other - I’m Sophie. I like being outside and I like making art about it. I work in gouache, oil paint, and relief printmaking.
I’m a bit of a late bloomer at this art thing. You hear people say they knew they wanted to be an artist since they could pick up a pencil. That was not true for me, though I did continue drawing into my teen years and made the odd painting through my 20s. I even won an award for most promising emerging artist, at a group show in Victoria, BC.
Now, it seems almost inevitable that I’d be drawn to portraying landscapes. From smooth granite slabs sliding into north Ontario lakes, to high mountain passes in the Rockies, I’ve always loved to be outdoors. That feeling of an effortful hike to a place, then sitting and resting and looking, with drying sweat pulling my skin tight. Setting up a cozy tent for the night. Jumping into a tannin-rich lake. Lulling into a meditative state at the campfire. Mostly, just looking, feeling, breathing it all in. Half a lifetime of experiences and feelings stored up.
When I moved to Fort McMurray in 2014, the isolation and the wild, stark landscape led me to start actively pursuing the creative life. After much self-study through books and online classes, I’m reaching the point where it feels right to share my work with an audience. Now, my focus is on leaning into those stories, and trying to breathe those feelings into a physical piece of art. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy making them.
Sophie
