"OUR BODIES ARE INCREDIBLE, AND THE POWER OF ART MEANS WE CAN CELEBRATE THIS THROUGH A DIFFERENT MEDIUM."
With time at home, jobs on the line and a yearning to combat boredom and anxiety throughout Lockdown, many of us have turned to pastimes to keep us entertained and busy. Sophia Gabrielides has done just that and taken a leap by creating her own small business for her paintings.
But these paintings are more than just an opportunity to express and experiment with her love of art, they are empowering and liberating others. Social media continues to have a huge influence in our lives and it can often be the first thing we turn to when filling time. Despite the positives that come out of these platforms including building connections, they can also cause us to dive head first into unnecessary behaviours and thought patterns. Whether it be comparing to others or spending our time looking at others lives rather than living our own, we can find ourselves being overly critical of ourselves rather than accepting and lifting ourselves up. It's important we celebrate what our bodies are capable of and thank them for what they do for us, instead of picking ourselves apart.
Sophia uses her art to celebrate the female body in particular, to encourage self-acceptance and pride in our own skin, a comfort and freedom in the beauty of the naked body. She champions kindness, colour, and vibrancy in her art to share the message that every 'body' is beautiful, different yet equally special. Through sharing such empowering paintings she is effectively liberating individuals, while simultaneously creating a huge range of stunning artwork.
IN CONVERSATION WITH SOPHIA GABRIELIDES:
Tell us a bit about who you are and what you’ve created and what you do?
SOPHIA: "Hi my name is Sophia Gabrielides, I'm 22 from West Sussex - currently living in London for my masters and I recently started (in February) an art business on Instagram called art_with_soph_!! I paint colourful nudes and am trying to empower women to love themselves- body confidence!! I wouldn’t consider myself an artist, as I’ve only just begun but rather as someone who loves and appreciates the power of art."
Why did you start this business? What inspired you?
SOPHIA: "I started this business out of the blue, as I found some old paints and crafts from when I was much younger and decided to paint over an old canvas I no longer liked. I then discovered SophieTea art, (an incredible artist who herself started on Instagram and is now selling nudies globally) and initially tried to re-create one of her pieces, I loved the message behind her work and I was super excited to try and put my own twist on it and learn from her!! I’m still figuring out my style, it changes and develops with every piece but that is what I particularly love- no two pieces of art will be the same!"
"Since starting my art business I’ve become increasingly aware about the importance of body confidence particularly in the ‘social media’ oriented world we live in. We are often told what the ‘ideal’, ‘perfect’ or perhaps even ‘normal’ body should look like. This whole concept is engrained in people’s minds without many even realising, resulting in them not LOVING, feeling confident or beautiful in their own skin. Through my art I want to create a community and space which recognises that every single body is beautiful and exactly as it should be- because it is in fact these differences that makes each and every person so wonderfully unique and special."
"Of course, such a transformation in mind-set may not come over night, but if through one piece of art it made a single person love themselves a dash more or feel a little more confident- it’s already a step in the right direction!! Our bodies are incredible, and the power of art means we can celebrate this through a different medium."
"I have always appreciated and tried to support small businesses, however after starting art_with_soph I have a new found appreciation for small business owners who put so much time and effort into each and every product they sell! I have recently collaborated with a small jewellery company, Adel de Lune and another artist, art with Chloe Aldrich for a giveaway and I hope to collaborate with more small creators in the future."
Did you do this prior to COVID-19 or as a result of it? In lockdown? When did it start? And did it take a while to build up and get people interested?
SOPHIA: "I started during lockdown as I had extra time that I wanted to do something productive with- I missed seeing my friends and family and needed something to focus on. I started during the third lockdown one random evening and before I knew it I found myself spending all of my free time (almost every evening) doing art!! (I wish I had started sooner!!) I find creating/ painting very relaxing, almost like a form of escape. I painted my first piece in February and within a week I had set up the Instagram page. I initially began it just to display all the pieces I created but after a couple of days a few friends and family had asked for customised pieces! From here I started to explore the idea of running it as a small business. It took a while to increase the Instagram following and make further commissions, but I am enjoying the learning process and the uniqueness that comes with each commission. I am so thankful for all my close friends and family who supported and encouraged me- otherwise I wouldn’t have started!"
What do you love about your job? Have you always been into art?
SOPHIA: "I have always been very creative- specifically arts and crafts, painting, drawing and so on but what I particular love is the use of colour!! From drawing bright and colourful doodles as a child, I then continued at secondary school and chose it for my GCSE’s where I found myself spending a disproportionate amount of time on my art projects compared to all my other subjects! From here I didn’t carry on with art, and I feel as though I have been missing that ability to express my creative side.
I love that art is subjective, it can be interpreted in different ways and each person can walk away from the same piece with a different message or meaning."
Where did you get the idea/ inspiration from for the art you create?
SOPHIA: "I initially got my inspiration from Sophie Tea art who paints nudies herself and since starting I have found lots of other small art businesses/ Instagram pages all with different styles and ‘flairs’ which I try to take nuggets of inspiration from and incorporate into my art."
What’s some of the feedback you’ve been given?
SOPHIA: "Whenever someone receives their piece they always send me a picture and a message on Instagram: here are a few of the messages I’ve received:
'Every time I look at your art it makes me feel strong and empowered!!'
'It’s making me love my body - I look at myself in a different way.'
'I feel more confident.'
'The parts of my body that I used to dislike I now look at in a totally new light.'
'It has shown me that all shapes and sizes are beautiful and no ‘body’ is the same.'
There is something extremely moving and powerful when I receive feedback, whether it’s simply them loving the art at face value or whether it’s for more personal reasons (e.g. more than just the physical art)."
What do you want to achieve with your art?
SOPHIA: "I want women to feel empowered and to love themselves through and through. On top of the message behind the art I particularly love that I can ‘give back’ and raise money for charity through it. At the moment 10% of profits are going towards GOSH - great Ormand street hospital. In the future I would love to also raise money for cancer research, coppa feel and other incredible charities."
Is creating therapeutic and cathartic for you?
SOPHIA: "I find painting extremely therapeutic, seeing the pieces come to life and the transformation is particularly exciting. When I’m painting I feel like I’m in a calm bubble, enjoying the process and having ‘me time’!"
How can others get involved or purchase?
SOPHIA: "If you want to get involved check out my Instagram: @art_with_soph_!! At the moment I am only doing A4 pieces but I am hoping to expand to larger sizes soon! They cost £25 each (including postage) and we can work together to create a piece specifically customised for you!! Any colour, any pose, any style- it’s all about you!! I love the creative journey and my favourite part is working alongside customers to create something they love!! Oh and also 10% of profits go to Great Ormand Street Hospital!"
Any last words regarding helping others during this challenging time?
SOPHIA: "Do what you love AND remember you are loved!! Even though it’s been a very different year, don’t forget you’re never alone. Don't question yourself and know that you are beautiful inside and out (always)!! Let’s spread the love, support one another, be kind and we’ll all get through this together!"
"Oh and if you’re unsure whether to start something new- do it!! Take the leap of faith and it just might turn into the best thing ever!!"
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