Hi my name is Sophia Toop, I am an artist based in Aotearoa, New Zealand working across painting, photography and print. My work is a lens into the deeper stories of humanity, focusing on ritual nature and identity. I use photography and art as a kind of looking glass, revealing how we understand ourselves and our relationship to the world around us.

I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts (first class) honours, focusing on academic writing, social change and critical thinking. My main medium is oil painting, learning my technical skills through the Kats Atelier classes but have progressed my stylistic approaches through folk art. My business is primarily professional photography, my camera is currently tailored for portraiture. I have working experience through Adobe software, editing through Premier Pro, Photoshop, Lightroom Classic and Bridge. I also have printing skills developing my work through the canon2000 printer. 

My practice has developed through both solo and collaborative work across exhibition, film, photography, and public presentation. I have exhibited in group and solo contexts including Exposure 2024 (Massey University Graduate Exhibition), Seeds Sown (Studio Seaweed), The Mortality of Time, and Alchemy and Art at Philosophy House, Wellington. Alongside exhibitions, I have delivered artist talks and workshops exploring themes of perception, time, and contrast. My collaborative practice includes photography for Meanwhile Gallery, music video production alongside Marcel Flay for artists such as KATE, Saxon Baxter, and James, as well as documentary and festival media projects including Kirtan Fest, Art & Aro, and the Crows Feet Dance Collective. Also gaining experience through Wedding photography and videography.