Sophia Krupsha
About
Born in Kingston, PA in 1998, Sophia Krupsha currently lives and maintains a studio in Seattle, WA. She completed her BFA in Drawing & Painting from the Pennsylvania State University in 2021. Though it is mainly site-specific to her hometown, her work has been represented nationally in gallery exhibitions on both sides of the United States from Portland, OR to New York, NY, and internationally in Belfast, Ireland.
Artist Statement
Having been born in an area mined hollow by coal companies, I was raised to appreciate and develop an understanding of local history as it pertains to my family's traditions and values. Because of this, my curiosity lies in the artificiality of the industrial landscape left behind by coal manufacturing and the loss of the cultural identity of a once-proud people.
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In my studio practice, I look at both the old masters such as Jean-Baptiste Corot and newer influences such as Peter Doig to inspire my work. My paintings are created using a variety of methods that are both traditional and unconventional. Techniques such as layering, color blending, and keeping the canvas wet with a spray bottle to make intricate patterns keep the painting mercurial while also anticipating a specified layout for the final view of the landscape.
As an artist, my work brings the past into a present dialogue so that one day the future can be brighter, not only for the environment but also for a more sustained cultural heritage.