Sophie McCarthy is a painter and illustrator from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, whose work explores the intersection of observation, stylization, and personal expression. Working primarily in figurative painting, McCarthy creates images that balance technical study with a playful and emotionally direct visual language. Alongside figure based work, she is deeply interested in landscapes and drawing from life, often using observation as the foundation for experimentation and reinterpretation.
McCarthy’s practice is driven by a desire to merge realism with individuality. Influenced by semi realistic illustration, surrealism, and feminist art movements, she embraces bright color, graphic linework, and intentionally visible underpainting as ways of asserting her own visual voice. Her paintings often blur the line between study and invention, allowing moments of looseness, distortion, and stylization to coexist with careful observation. Through this approach, she transforms familiar subjects into works that feel theatrical, personal, and unapologetically present.
A significant turning point in McCarthy’s artistic journey came through her transition from digital arts into fine arts. Realizing the importance of physical process and materiality within her practice, she shifted her focus toward painting as a tactile and emotional experience. This change deepened her connection to her work and reinforced her commitment to creating objects that feel immediate, tangible, and alive through the act of making itself.
Currently Exhibiting in: Brooklyn, NY
Instagram: @sophie_mc_art
Featured Artwork at Bushwick Gallery
Title: Hera
Year of Creation: 2026
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 30 × 40 in
Edition Type: Unique, 1 of 1
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Price: $800
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Description
Hera is a figurative oil painting created from direct observation over a four week period, inspired by the presence and mythology of the Greek goddess Hera. Sophie McCarthy imagined the figure as a lounging, divine presence surrounded by draped fabrics and botanical forms, creating a composition that feels both grounded in observation and elevated through symbolism and atmosphere.
The painting marks a major technical and stylistic breakthrough within McCarthy’s practice. Having previously worked primarily in acrylic, she used Hera as an opportunity to experiment with oil painting techniques including layered thin to thick applications, shifting opacity, and varied surface texture. At the same time, she intentionally pushed against strict realism by incorporating graphic outlines, exposed underpainting, and moments of stylized distortion that make the piece distinctly her own.
In Hera, McCarthy explores the tension between study and self expression. The work becomes not only an exploration of paint and form, but also an assertion of artistic identity. Through bold color, unapologetic stylization, and visible process, the painting announces itself with confidence while remaining playful, intimate, and deeply personal.
Exhibition Information
Exhibition Title: Botanic Bodies
Theme: Organic elegance, natural forms, and expansive growth
Exhibition Dates: May 14 – May 21, 2026
Opening Reception: Thursday, May 14 / 6 PM – 8 PM
Private Showings and Events: Invite only throughout the week