SOPHIA KAYAFAS
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