About Me

Sophie was born in Tokyo, Japan and grew up in both Tokyo and Kyoto with her two sisters, also artists, and her older brother. She was educated in Japanese schools until she moved to Sydney in 2001 and is bilingual and bicultural in Japanese and English. Sophie continues to be a frequent visitor to Japan.Sophie has always been fascinated by the natural world and this is reflected in her work, in which she most often paints animal subjects. Sophie’s work reflects the experiences of her childhood growing up surrounded by both traditional and contemporary Japanese art. Much of Japanese cultural and artistic inspiration is drawn from the natural world and natural materials. Sophie has travelled overseas as well as in many parts of Australia. Some of the extraordinary places Sophie has been fortunate enough to visit and experience wild nature include tropical far-north Queensland, the Corner Country of far-western New South Wales and the Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia. 
Sophie exhibits regularly and has been a semi-finalist in the national Doug Moran Portraiture Prize and a finalist in the Mosman Art Prize, Hunters Hill Art Prize and the Waverly 9x5 Landscape Prize.
As well as painting animal subjects from life, Sophie has re-interpreted the animal subject etchings and paintings of the 15th/16th-century German artist Albrecht Durer. Sophie has also created a series of large works inspired by renowned Japanese artists such as Ito Jakuchu, Maruyama Okyo and artists of the Kano School. 

Sophie Pulvers Curriculum Vitae  

Sophie Pulvers
(b. 1986 Japan)

Affiliated Galleries: Aarwun Gallery, Canberra
                                      Rochfort Gallery, Sydney
​
Education:
        2005        COFA, one semester course
Exhibitions:
         2024            Buddhist and Multicultural art in Australia Symposium, group                                            exhibition, Art Gallery NSW
         2024            'July Brilliance' group exhibition, Rochfort Gallery, Sydney
         2023           Hunters Hill Art Prize 2023- Finalist exhibition, Sydney
         2023            'Animalia' solo exhibition - Aarwun Gallery, Canberra
         2023            'May Flowers Inspire Joy' group exhibition - Princes Art
                              Gallery, Sydney
         2023            KAAF 10th Anniversary exhibition - Korea-Australia Art 
​                              Foundation
         2022 - 2023  'The Tapestry of Me' group exhibition - Rochfort Gallery,
                             Sydney
         2022           'Shikisai' group exhibition - Audrey Fine Art, Sydney
         2022          'Sisters' exhibition - Aarwun Gallery, Canberra
         2021            'A Glassy Affair' December exhibition - Audrey Fine Art
                             Gallery​
        2021          'The Vincent' Prize Finalist exhibition - DuckRabbit Gallery,
                               Redfern​
        2021            'Three Sisters' Exhibition - Live in Art Sydney Gallery,
                              InterContinental Hotel, Double Bay
        2020            Persistence Art Prize - Finalist exhibition, Live in Art
                              Sydney, Surry Hills
        2020            Live in Art Sydney Art Prize - finalist exhibition, Live in Art
                             Sydney, InterContinental Hotel Double Bay​
        2020            Live in Art Sydney Art Prize - finalist exhibition, Live in Art
                              Sydney Gallery, Surry Hills
        2017            'Pulvers Art' Exhibition at Willoughby Town Council Foyer,
​                            Chatswood​
        2017              Hunters Hill Art Prize –finalist exhibition
        2017          'Pulvers Art' Exhibition at Art Space Concourse, Chatswood
        2016              Pymble Ladies College Centenary Exhibition
        2016              Mosman Art Prize –finalist exhibition
        2016              Hunters Hill Art Prize –finalist exhibition
        2016            Sydney Royal Easter Show – Three Sisters Group Exhibit, 
                             Cattle Pavilion  
        2015            ‘Three Sisters’ Group exhibition, Landship Gallery, Georges
                              Heights,  Sydney
        2015              Hunters Hill Art Prize –finalist exhibition
        2015              Sydney Royal Easter Show – Three Sisters Group Exhibit,
                                Cattle Pavilion
        2013              Three Sisters Art Exhibit at Concourse Art Space,
                                Chatswood, Sydney
        2013               Lloyd Rees Memorial Youth Art Prize – finalist exhibition,
                               Lane Cove    
                               Gallery, Sydney
        2013             SKA Art Prize - finalist exhibition, Federation Square,
                             Melbourne
        2012             Cowra Japanese Peace Garden Gallery exhibition
       2011-12        Wahroonga Preparatory School Art Exhibition
       2010             Pymble Art Gallery Artist on exhibition
 
 
Award and Prizes:
             
           2023           Hunters Hill Art Prize 2023- Finalist 
            2021           Luxembourg Art Prize - Certificate of Merit         
            2020         Persistence Art Prize - finalist, Live in Art Sydney Gallery,
                                Surrey Hills
            2020         Live in Art Sydney Art Prize - finalist, Live in Art Sydney
​                              Gallery, Surry Hills
            2017          Hunters Hill Art Prize –finalist
            2016          Mosman Art Prize –finalist
            2016          Hunters Hill Art Prize –finalist
            2015          Doug Moran Portrait Prize Semi-finalist
            2015          Hunters Hill Art Prize –finalist
            2014          Lethbridge Small Works – finalist
            2013           Lloyd Rees Memorial Youth Art Prize, finalist
             2013           SKA Art Prize, finalist
 
Commissions and Texts:
           2020       Balestire Press, Cover Art 'The Charter' Roger Pulvers
            2010-16  Numerous Commissions for paintings of animal subjects
            2012        ebook published through Phasminda Publishing
                              “Sophie's Magical Dreams” - illustrator
                              “Three Sisters and the Train” - co-author
            2010-14   Commissioned paintings of the Oriental Zodiac