About
Hi, I'm Emma-Sofia
An acrylic and mixed media artist originally from Finland and now based in Sitges, near Barcelona.
Artist facts
- Based in Sitges, Catalonia, Spain, near Barcelona.
- Originally from Finland.
- Mixed media artist specializing in original dog paintings and commissions.
- Former Division I college tennis player in the United States.
- Master's degree from the London School of Economics.
- Professional background in accounting, internal audit, Deloitte, and Barclays.
Artist Story
Art has always been part of my life. I have drawn and painted for as long as I can remember, always drawn to colour, texture and the feeling a painting can carry.
During my maternity leaves, that lifelong hobby became more intentional. I began studying, practising with structure and developing a more disciplined studio practice. Painting gave me joy in the making, and I hope the finished work brings that same joy to others.
Today I create original acrylic and mixed media paintings that celebrate warmth, personality and the special connection people have with the subjects they love.
Inspiration
Colour, Character and Place
My paintings are built through expressive colour, layered acrylic and mixed media details. I love using a wide palette because colour can make a painting feel alive: playful, warm, energetic and full of movement.
My inspiration for painting dogs began with the dogs in our own families. Oscar, Daisy and Karkki were more than pets. They were loyal companions who filled our lives with happiness, comfort and unconditional love.
I now live and work in Sitges, a town by the Mediterranean with a vibrant artistic and entrepreneurial community. Its architecture, beaches, mountains and creative energy all feed into the feeling of making. Sitges also has a long artistic tradition, from the nineteenth-century Luminist School to Santiago Rusiñol and the Cau Ferrat Museum. (For more on the artistic tradition in Sitges, see Museus de Sitges.)
Process
Practice, Precision and Emotion
Before focusing more deeply on painting, I studied accounting, completed a master's degree at the London School of Economics and worked for a decade in demanding professional environments, including Deloitte and Barclays. Much of that work was in internal audit, where hard work, constant learning, precision and understanding the full process all mattered.
Those skills are surprisingly close to the discipline of building an art practice. They help me approach commissions with care, communicate clearly and treat each piece as both a creative work and a professional commitment.
I also bring the mindset of a former Division I college tennis player in the United States: repetition, resilience, focus and attention to detail. In the studio, as on the court, progress comes from showing up, refining the process and trusting the work.
For me, a successful commission is one that creates recognition and emotion. When a client sees their beloved subject in the painting, and feels that warmth, connection and personality come through, the work has done what it was meant to do.
