& WAYWARD IN WACOL solo exhibition 2026
13 & 14 June 2026, 10am - 3pm, 41 Metroplex Place, Wacol Q 4076
Series: 'This Is 2126 Calling'
During the final months of 2025, while developing the concept for this body of work, I was contemplating the significance & enduring relevance of the ‘New Year’s resolution’.
One suggested approach to identifying meaningful New Year intentions was to imagine an end of year conversation reflecting on your most significant achievements.
Rather than a 12 month check in, I pondered how I might respond to questions from a future version of myself, 100 years ahead, asking if I was pleased with how I was choosing to move through this one precious life.
Would 2126 me be grateful that I’m flossing my teeth? High- five me for taking my supplements? Be encouraging of gestures of kindness without scorekeeping?
Throughout the works I incorporated canvas & wallpaper cuttings shaped as skulls, alongside landline phones & vessels representing the four classical elements (air as intellect, energy as fire, earth as stability & water as emotion) to encourage playful curiosity within the act of self-reflection.
‘This Is 2126 Calling’ is part contemplation, part nostalgia, part humour, hope & tenderness, & is just a little….wayward.
Biography:
Drawn to vibrant and energising colour combinations and inspired by conversation, human connection and humour, Sophia has been painting full-time since 2022.
Working across canvas and paper, her semi-representational pieces combine acrylic paint with collaged repurposed materials, oil stick, paint pen, gold leaf, pastel and epoxy to create layered surfaces that invite closer attention and reveal unexpected detail. Each painting reflects a unique narrative, shaped by Sophia's observations of human nature, resilience, and enduring optimism.
Collectors and visitors to Sophia’s exhibitions in Queensland and New South Wales often speak of experiencing a sense of joy, curiosity and connection when engaging with her work.
Thank you for your interest in my artwork! In 2022 I fulfilled a life long dream of establishing a vibrant, energising and dedicated art studio and creative space, in conjunction with my interior decorating showroom that I established in 2011.
My paintings incorporate multiple layers. They reflect the rich colours, the complexity and ever-changing shape, depth and dimension of nature, and the nature of human beings and our relationships.
Acrylics, gouache, crayon, pencil, charcoal, gold leaf, collage – individually or in combination – on paper, canvas or clay, enable me to bring to life the many stories and thoughts that pervade my imagination. I love working in series and can usually be found in my studio with multiple paintings in progress at any one time.
Colour and creativity are intrinsically woven into the fabric of my life. I have always been designing, drawing, decorating and painting and always been captivated by texture, shapes, fabrics and patterns.
As a child growing up on our property in Central Qld, I marvelled at nature’s colour offerings directed by where the sun and moon cruised, and the patterns shadows cast.
Amidst the backdrop of big skies and wide open spaces, and immersed in the quirkiness and humour of my family, I had the glorious freedom to create my own adventures. Imagination, creativity and wonder thrived.
I drew aeroplanes in the dust with sticks and insisted my siblings fly in the seats beside me. I created elaborate costumes from cast-offs and scraps of material to wear on such adventures and in the plays staged on our home’s verandahs. I hand stitched wedding dresses for Barbies cut from the lace of my mother’s bras.
Travel has also been a key influence in my life and my creativity. From the ancient heartbeats of Africa and central Australia to the bustle, rush and buzz of Hong Kong and New York. From the majestic Middle East to the mayhem of Delhi. From Zanzibar to the Amalfi Coast and from the calm jungles of Ubud to the madness of Mexico City.
However, in the long list of things that inspire my life and my painting, at the top of it will always be PEOPLE:
Their capacity for love. Their nuances and individuality. Their resilience and strength. Their ingenuity and resourcefulness. Their retained optimism and humour, even when facing crushing sadness. The many parts that make up the individual and the complexity and layers that combine to create the exquisite whole. The genuine and deep beauty found within.
I hope my paintings are windows to joy and inspiration for you. May they bring you positive energy and delight and always optimistic company.
Wishing a dollop of colourful vibrancy for you today.
Sophia x
