Artist Biography
Sophie Findlay-Walters was born in Boston and raised in Needham, Massachusetts. Findlay-Walters is currently pursuing her Bachelor in Fine Arts in Studio Art with a 2-D concentration at Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts. Sophie’s work focuses on portraiture through illustrative, graphic-style drawings. In the summer of 2021, Sophie was an intern at Castle Hill Truro Center for the Arts, where she assisted in various mixed media classes. In 2022, Sophie also completed one semester-long internship at Concord Center for the Visual Arts, where she helped assist with multiple exhibitions and gallery operations.
Artist Statement
I am an illustrator who works in portraiture and symbolism, incorporating a variety of media, such as alcohol-based ink markers, gouache, white gel pen, and micron pens. The subjects for these portraits are people that I know intimately. I create my artwork by combining highly stylized details, and delicate blending techniques using alcohol markers, which ultimately provide contrast between the subject and background. These ink-based markers provide unlimited color options and control over the image. I work with vibrant, saturated colors and sharp black lines to represent the importance of personality.
My art explores the artistic background of various women artists. Each piece allows the opportunity to learn more about these women artists, their creative process, and how they found confidence in their artmaking skills. This has inspired me to learn more about their stories, which I later capture through drawing their portraits and incorporating symbols from their lives. Each portrait is accompanied by two smaller symbolic pieces representing each artist in a less literal manner but still speaking to who they are.
This research has allowed me to create artwork that encapsulates the inspirations that I have found from four female artists. I have chosen these artists because they are the most insightful and influential during my four years at Endicott College. To deliver their influences through the illustration, I start with a casual conversation to learn more about these artists on a personal level. I gathered information to create my imagery, including a drawing of the artists and the objects around them that help to represent who they are. Throughout this senior capstone process, my artwork and my confidence as a female artist have grown immensely, and I look forward to continuing my journey as an illustrator.