By painting incredible nude portraits, artist Sophie Tea is challenging the narrative that there's only one 'ideal' body type.
Sophie's colourful, boundary-breaking art focuses on the nude female body, in all shapes and sizes, and it's helping women feel better about themselves, one painting at a time.
"I’ve had several plus-sized women come into my gallery and be absolutely shocked to see a fuller figure represented beautifully," Sophie tells HELLO! "By showcasing a range of shapes and sizes, it challenges the idea that there is only one ideal body type.
"Instead, my work celebrates beauty in all forms, encouraging women to love and accept themselves just as they are. My art fosters a sense of inclusivity and representation and is a reminder that beauty comes in many forms and every single body deserves to be celebrated and respected."
Sophie is not only helping other women through her work, she's repairing her own body image issues. "My relationship with my body has changed so much since I started painting nudes," she says.
"Growing up with smaller boobs, I was always very self-conscious and as a young woman I felt like all I saw were fuller chests, but since I began painting nudes in 2019, my narrative has changed drastically.
"I started out in the hope that this would help women who struggled with body image, but I never expected it to help me so much. It’s been a huge journey and one I didn’t think I’d find so cathartic.
© Sally Twigg"Painting nude women has taught me the importance of self-acceptance and self-love," Sophie continues. "As I’ve studied the intricacies of the human body, I’ve come to appreciate its resilience and strength. I’ve marvelled at the way muscles flexed and skin stretched, telling stories of life, love and survival. And with each painting completed, I felt a newfound sense of confidence and empowerment.
"I am blessed to have a body that is healthy and allows me to live life to the full," she adds.
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Representing all bodies
Sophie feels privileged to make a difference in the body-positive space, knowing that representation of all bodies is key when it comes to feeling good about ourselves.
"When I was younger, I don’t recall having representation to turn to and whilst everyone is aware that diversity hasn’t always been well represented, I want to redirect this to positivity.
© Sally Twigg"I’ve met hundreds of women who have been through hell with their bodies and despite that, they are not defined by the challenges they have faced; they are defined by their courage, their resilience and their unshakeable belief in the power of sisterhood.
"We are often consumed by negativity, so if I can help build a community of women that uplift one another, I feel fulfilled. Whenever we do a nude catwalk or I finish a new painting, even if only one teenage girl sees this and feels better about themselves, that’s enough for me to feel like I’m onto something that has purpose."
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The importance of inclusivity
"In my work, women who have felt marginalised or overlooked by mainstream media finally see themselves reflected in art, validating their experiences and identities.
"This representation is not only empowering but also helps to normalise bodies that have been historically underrepresented. This sends a powerful message that there is beauty in diversity and that every person deserves to be seen and celebrated for who they are, regardless of their physical appearance.
© Sally Twigg"In a way, it’s my form of activism because there is no ‘ideal’ body type, true beauty is rooted in diversity."
One step further
Keen to spread her message of body inclusivity further Sophie is taking her art onto the stage at The London Palladium on 5 April, with her show, Send Nudes, comprising storytelling, live painting and audience interaction, aiming to encourage individuals to embrace their bodies as unique canvases of beauty.
"Nervous is an understatement!" Sophie said of her feelings ahead of the show, which will see members of the public take to the stage, naked.
"I’m definitely happiest and most comfortable when I am surrounded by my ‘nudies’ all embracing their individuality, however, I always feel pressure to do them justice. I don’t think they even need me, they could strut their stuff on their own but if I have the power to give people the most magical night, I want it to be absolutely perfect."
On the importance of stepping out of her comfort zone for the show, Sophie says: "I think the best things in the world are those that scare you, because it means you are truly onto something so I’m going to go at it with everything I’ve learnt in the past five years painting nudes and make every second on that stage count.
"There's this underlying fear of messing up or forgetting my lines. But on the other hand, there's a surge of excitement running through me. The energy of the crowd, the adrenaline rush of seeing the nudies backstage, it's all so exhilarating. I know that once I step onto that stage, the nerves will likely fade away, replaced by the thrill of sisterhood."
