About the artist
Sophie Freshwater is a Melbourne/Naarm-based artist whose work combines portraiture, symbolic realism and surrealist narrative to explore themes of perception, identity and connection. Working across oil, watercolour, gouache and pencil, she creates carefully observed human and animal subjects that invite viewers to look beyond appearances and consider the stories that lie beneath the surface.
Returning to a dedicated fine art practice in 2019 after a career in graphic design and illustration, Freshwater has developed a distinctive visual language that balances technical precision with metaphor and narrative. Her work frequently explores relationships between self and other, human and animal, reality and reflection, drawing on both personal experience and observations of the natural world.
Animal welfare advocacy, particularly greyhound rescue, remains an important influence within her practice. Through recurring themes of duality, perception and belonging, Freshwater's work examines how meaning is shaped by memory, experience and interpretation.
Her work has been recognized through selection in several of Australia's leading art prizes, including the Kennedy Prize for Painting, the Portia Geach Memorial Award, the Percival Portrait Prize, the Percival Animal Portrait Prize, the Smallacombe Portrait Prize, the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize shortlist and the Art Edit Self Represented Artist Prize. Her paintings are held in private collections throughout Australia and internationally.
Artist Curriculum Vitae
Portraiture & Surrealist Narrative
Naarm/Melbourne, Australia
Instagram: instagram.com/sophiefresh76
Education
Victoria College, Prahran Campus
Graphic Design — Major in Illustration & Drawing
Studied under Howard Arkley and Tony Clarke
Foundational Drawing (2019), facilitated by Yvonne Audette
Prahran TAFE
Foundation Year Art
Prizes & Awards
2026
Finalist - Portia Geach Portrait Award
Finalist - The Kennedy Art Prize
Finalist - The Percival’s Portrait Prize
Finalist - The Percival’s Animal Portrait Prize (Highly commended)
2025
Lethbridge Small Works Art Prize - Salon des Refusés
2024
Finalist - Smallacombe Portrait Prize
2023
Finalist - Art Edit Magazine - Self Represented Artist Prize
2022
Finalist - Portia Geach Portrait Award
Short listed - Doug Moran National Portrait Prize
Finalist - Art Edit Magazine - Self Represented Artist Prize
Exhibitions
2026
Portia Geach Portrait Award - S H Ervin Gallery - Sydney
The Percival Portrait Prize - The Perc Tucker Regional Gallery - Townsville
The Kennedy Art Prize - Royal South Australian Society of Arts (RSASA) - Adelaide
HAS Spring Salon - Hawthorn Arts Centre - Melbourne
Group Show - Aickin Chambers - Melbourne
2025
Group Show - Honey Bones Gallery - Brunswick
Group Show - Aickin Chambers - Melbourne
Lethbridge Small Works Art Prize - Salon des Refusés, Brisbane
2024
Smallacombe Portrait Prize - Gallery One, Mitcham - Adelaide
HAS Spring Salon - Hawthorn Arts Centre - Hawthorn
Mario’s - Solo Exhibition, A Mischief of Magpies - Fitzroy (Sold Out)
Incognito Art Show - Sydney
2023
Group show - Falling Out of Red - Sol Gallery, Fitzroy
HAS Spring Salon - Hawthorn Arts Centre
2022
Portia Geach Portrait Award - S H Ervin Gallery - Sydney
Group show Glenferrie Traders Various locations in the retail precinct - Hawthorn
Linden New Art Postcards Show - St Kilda
2019
Group Portrait Show - Brunswick Street Gallery - Fitzroy
Professional Profile
Sophie Freshwater is a Melbourne/Naarm based artist working across portraiture, surrealist narrative, and animal‑centered storytelling. With a foundation in graphic design and illustration, her practice blends technical precision with emotive, character‑driven imagery. She works primarily in oils, watercolour, gouache, and pencil, using layered techniques to capture personality and presence — particularly in human and animal portraiture.
Her work has been recognized in major national portrait prizes including the Portia Geach, Percival’s, Smallacombe, and Doug Moran, and has been exhibited widely across Melbourne, Sydney, and regional galleries with her works held in private collections across Australia, England, USA and Mexico. Sophie is also active in animal welfare advocacy, especially greyhound rescue, which informs both her subject matter and community engagement.
Selected Skills
Human & animal portraiture with emphasis on likeness and emotional narrative
Surrealist and representational painting
Layered painting techniques: oils, watercolour, gouache
Digital image editing, graphic design, and compositional development
Professional writing: artist statements, exhibition texts, project documentation
Additional Information
Available for commissions, exhibitions, collaborations, and community‑based art projects.
Portfolio updates and works in progress available via Instagram or her website sophiefreshwaterart.com.au.