The Artists Story

Sonia Is decedent of first-generation Italians who like many emigrated to Scotland in the 1950’s in search of better prospects. During her early years, Sonia’s Italian heritage was fiercely protected. Italian is her first language, only learning English when she started school.

A shy, sensitive girl, in her free time found contentment playing with craft materials and a prized Victorian scrapbook. These early forays into the world of art would lead to the discovery of her love of drawing. Aged 11, Sonia’s first holiday was to Barga in Tuscany, her mother’s birthplace, a place she feels is her second home. During the visit, she and her siblings relished the freedom of being able to roam through the stunning Tuscan landscape, a vista that she instantly fell in love with and would paint many times later in life.

Losing her mum shortly after the trip to Tuscany had a profound effect on Sonia’s life and her art. Without the encouragement to further develop her budding artistic aspirations, she was instead encouraged to pursue a tangible vocation, so she channelled her artistic streak into makeup artistry and hairdressing.

This career became a fulfilling outlet for her imagination. Juggling motherhood, work and going back to college in her 30s, as she created characters for film, TV, theatre and latterly for Scottish Opera. she qualified to become a hairdressing teacher, later setting up a salon and training business with her husband.

Family life was fantastic, and the business flourished, but by 2017 Sonia’s desire to create became so intense, she could no longer ignore it. Attending art classes for the first time would provide the catalyst and give her the confidence to show her work. Her natural curiosity remains her focus to experiment with media and to develop her ideas further.