Artist Profile - Sophia Padua

It is our absolute pleasure to introduce you to Sophia Padua, the artist behind our “Winged Transformation” collection. Sophia grew up in Half Moon Bay, California, attended The University of Oregon in Eugene, and is now located in Portland, Oregon where she is an associate at a PR and Marketing firm. 

When Sophia is not at work, she spends most of her time painting on unlikely surfaces like surfboards and clothing, cooking new recipes, and making her family and friends feel loved. She enjoys going on adventures and exploring beautiful places -  the expansive outdoors or bustling cities - solo or with company.

Sophia is very passionate about social justice and community. She explained to me the importance she feels about connecting with the people around us that we may not typically gravitate towards. She talked about how volunteering with various local organizations throughout the years has allowed her to do a lot of that, and how many rich connections she has been able to sow. Another way that Sophia cultivates community is by cooking with the people that she loves. She mused about how much more fun and satisfying it is to cook and eat all together than going out to a restaurant. 

When asked to describe her personal style as an artist, Sophia said that right now, when she is creating for herself, the art is full of feelings and textures - she loves art with rich textures where you can still see where the artist last placed their brush. She really appreciates the character and realness present there. 

While her personal art is wild and full of passion, Sophia also loves the process of co-creation when working on a commissioned piece of art - she loves getting to bring peoples’ ideas to life with a dash of her own personal flare. Sophia tells us that even when someone asks for something complicated or different than what she’s used to, she is always up for the challenge. 

“No matter what someone asks for, I always say yes and give it a go because it will make me a better artist - stepping out of your comfort zone leads to growth.”

Bravo, Sophia! We love that about you. 

We asked Sophia to tell us a little about how her art journey began, and not to anyone’s surprise, it started quite early in her life. Sophia’s whole family is pretty creative, and she grew up feeling inspired by family members like her grandfather who is a graphic designer and art collector. As a kid, one of her favorite activities was “paint by numbers” - fun fact: her grandpa was friends with the creator! Sophia started taking art classes at Fly on the Wall Art School in Half Moon Bay while in elementary school, and ended up working there by the time she was in high school - she described it as her safe haven. 

Around the time that the world shut down in the Spring of 2020, Sophia started experimenting with painting on different surfaces like denim, surfboards, and whatever she could get her hands on. She ended up starting a small business called Moontown Paints - she mostly refreshed peoples’ old denim jackets with beautiful art, but she also works on pants, shoes, surfboards, blank walls, and much more.

Currently, Sophia is taking a break from Moontown Paints as she settles into her new life in Portland, but if you want to keep up with her, you can still follow her Instagram @moontownpaints for updates on her artistic endeavors. Sophia is excited to see what life brings next. She wants to embark on projects that will help her growth as a person and as an artist.

Of course we had to ask Sophia why she chose to lend her talents to Planet Joy, and her answer warmed our hearts:

“Planet Joy - it’s in the name! It makes me happy. If you’re creating for a purpose that’s bigger than yourself, and you get to help spread the love, it’s always satisfying.” 

We are honored to be able to work with Sophia, and look forward to all that is to come!