Scottish-Italian Artist | Glasgow 

I’m Sonia Parisi, a Scottish-Italian contemporary artist based in Glasgow, creating expressive oil and mixed-media paintings inspired by memory, heritage, nature and emotional connection.

My work is deeply personal, shaped by my experiences, my cultural heritage and the places that have become part of my story. My Italian grandparents came to Scotland in the 1950s, and Italian was my first language. 

Growing up between two cultures gave me an early awareness of what it means to belong to more than one place, and this feeling of connection, distance and belonging continues to influence the way I see the world and approach my work.

My connection with art began when I was twelve, during a visit to my mother’s hometown in Tuscany...

I remember discovering the freedom of drawing and becoming completely absorbed in the process. Although life took me in another direction for many years, I returned to painting in 2017, rediscovering a part of myself that had been waiting to come back.

Losing my mum at a young age had a profound influence on who I was growing up and the person I have become. Over time, I’ve come to recognise how our experiences shape the way we see the world, how we hold on to memories and how we understand ourselves. Painting has become a way for me to reflect on these experiences, explore emotions and make sense of things that can sometimes be difficult to express in words. Through the process of creating, thoughts and feelings often emerge gradually through colour, texture, layers and mark-making, allowing me to discover something new along the way.

My practice continues to evolve as I explore different ways of expressing these ideas. Flowers have been an important part of my work, offering a way to explore beauty, remembrance, love and the passage of time. I’m also drawn to the natural world, the landscapes of Scotland and Tuscany, and the shapes, colours and textures found within them. More recently, I’ve been exploring a more intuitive approach to painting, working with collage, layered surfaces and abstraction to capture something of the feeling and experience of being in nature, rather than simply depicting what I see.

I’m interested in the possibilities that emerge through the process of painting...

...building up layers, making marks, removing and reworking, and allowing a painting to develop in its own way. For me, it is as much about exploration and discovery as it is about the finished work.

My paintings are not intended to tell one fixed story. While they often begin with personal memories, emotions or observations, I want each work to leave room for the viewer to bring their own experiences and interpretations. Whether through the expressive beauty of flowers, the atmosphere of a landscape or the freedom of abstraction, I’m interested in that moment when a painting becomes personal to the person looking at it.

For me, one of the most meaningful aspects of being an artist is knowing that a painting can take on a new life when it finds a place in someone else’s home.

A work that began with my own memories may become connected to yours — a place you love, someone you miss, a feeling you recognise or simply a moment of beauty you want to keep close.

That is what I hope my paintings offer: something to connect with, live with and return to over time.

Thank you for taking the time to explore my work.

Sonia Parisi

For Collectors

I believe original art should do more than complement a room.

It should create atmosphere, spark conversation and become part of the story of the people who live with it.

Whether someone is drawn to a painting because it reminds them of a place they love, a memory they treasure or simply because it evokes an emotional response they cannot quite explain, my hope is that each piece creates a lasting connection beyond its visual appearance.

Thank You...

Thank you for taking the time to learn a little about my journey and my work.

I hope that as you explore the collections, you discover a painting that speaks to your own memories, experiences and sense of place.