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Part of both the Greek diaspora, and queer community, Sophia is a figurative artist creating vibrant spiritual narratives and surealist landscapes with introspective curiosity. She currently lives and works in Brooklyn, New York at The Brooklyn Army Terminal, Chashama Studios.

 

Kayafas currently teaches drawing at Pratt University’s Foundation Department and Painting at Hudson County Community College. She dedicates her time to many creative projects while maintaining a robust studio practice. 

Produced by Dillon Richardson

 Education

 

2016             Masters of Fine Arts:  Painting 

                     New York Academy of Art, New York, NY

2014             Bachelor of Science: Fine Art and Public Relations

                     West Liberty University, Wheeling, WV

 

 

Group Exhibitions

2025             Field Projects, Echo Locator, Online Exhibition

2024             Spring Break Art Show, NY

2023             Petit  Et  Intime ,  Edifice  Belgo, Quebec, Canada

                     Love  Never Breaks ,  Blend,   Brooklyn , NY

2022             Roots and Wings, Annunciation Church, NY

2021             Animal Instincts, Steven  Z evi ta s Gallery, Boston, MA

2020             YOUNGBLOOD, Space Gallery St Barth, NY   

                     Pratt Faculty Exhibition, Brooklyn, NY

2019             Please Step on the Grass, Anastasyia Tarasenko Studio s, NY

2018            Summer Exhibition 2018 , Flowers Gallery, NY

2017           Fellows Exhibition, Wilkinson Gallery, NY

                    About Face, South Hamptons Art Center, NY

                   Single Fare 4,  High line Stages, NY

                   Chubb Miami,  FL

 

2016            Ladies Christian Union Exhibition, NY 

                    Summer Exhibition 2016, Flowers Gallery, NY

                    Funny Stuff, New York Academy of Art, NY

2015            China Residency Exhibition, New York Academy of Art, NY

                    New Ovington Village, Bay Ridge Art Space, Brooklyn,                                               

                    798 District Exhibition, Joy Arts Gallery, Beijing, China

                    Tribeca Ball, New York Academy of Art

                     Large Drawings Show, New York Academy of Art, NY

                    Deck the Walls, New York Academy of Art, NY

                     Juried Exhibition for Allied Artists of West Virginia, WV

2012            Crosscurrents Exhibition, Stifle Fine Arts, WV

 

Solo

 

2016                       Certainly Uncertain

                               Kirby Gallery, Wheeling Jesuit   University, WV

2013                        People, Places, and Things, 

                                ArtsLink Inc. Gallery, New Martinsville, WVA

                                Self Portrait, Wheeling Artisan Center, Wheeling WV, 

2012                         Progression, Shaw Galleries, Pittsburgh, PA 

 

 

Awards    and

Residencies

 

 

2019 - 24                     Chashama  Studios   Residency Program,

                                     Brooklyn Army Terminal, NY

2018                             Residency Dominican Republic, Casa de Campo,

                                     Altos de Chevon, La Romana

 

2017 - 16                     PGTA Award Recipient for Teaching,  NYAA

 

2017 - 16                     Third Year Chubb Fellowship Award,

                                    New York Academy of Art

 

2015                           China Residency, Central Academy of Fine Arts,

                                   Beijing, China

 

2014                           Studio Incamminati, Philidelphia, PA

Arts Media / Entertainment

 

 

2020                         Co-Host of North Brooklyn Artists, 

                                  Documentary TV series,  Cyprian Films (Emmy Awarded) 

 

2018 -22                     Co-host, editor, producer  for the Art Grind Podcast

 ADJUNCT  FACULTY POSITIONS  

2024                            Narrative Painting, The Art Students League

                                  Co- Teaching with Marshall Jones 

2023 - current            Foundation Drawing, Adjunct Faculty             

                                    Pratt Institute, NY

                                

2018 - 2023               Foundation Drawing, Visiting Faculty             

                                    Pratt Institute, NY                                                                                                   

2024- current              Painting 2,  Adjunct Faculty                                                                                                             Hudson County Community College, NJ

2023                           Animating the Mark , Adjunct Faculty                                                                                          Marymount Manhattan College, NY

                                    

2022-2023                 2-D Design, Adjunct Faculty                                                                      

                                    Hudson County Community College, NJ

 

2018-  Current           Drawing I,  Adjunct Faculty                              

                                    Hudson County Community College, NJ

 

2021 - Current           Art & Cultural Studies, Adjunct Faculty                                               

                                    Summer Undergraduate Residency Program                         

                                    New York Academy of Art, NY  

                          

2021 - current            Painting I, Adjunct Faculty                                                                     

                                    Hudson County Community College, NJ

 

2020 - 2021                Experiencing Art, Adjunct Faculty                                                          

                                    Hudson County Community College, NJ

 

2018 - 2019               Drawing: Exploration of the Human Form                                                                                Summer Undergraduate Residency Program 

                                    New York Academy of Art, NY

                          

 

 

 

Teaching Assistantships 

 

2016 - 2018              Painting I, MFA, Bernardo Siciliano  

                                   New York Academy of Art, NY 

  

2016  - 2018             Painting III, MFA, Margaret Bowland

                                   New York Academy of Art, NY 

  

2017                          Painting the Figure, Masterclass, Alex Kanevsky                                    

                                   New York Academy of Art, NY 

  

2017                           Drawing II, MFA, Michele Fenniak

                                   New York Academy of Art, NY 

  

2015  - 2017                Drawing I & II MFA, CFA  Dan Thompson

                                   New York Academy of Art, NY 

  

2016  - 2017                Art & Culture, MFA, Sarah Schmerler  

                                   New York Academy of Art, NY 

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