Today we’d like to introduce you to Sophia Lemaitre
Hi Sophia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve been making art my whole life, but my path to becoming a full-time artist wasn’t exactly linear. I studied social work and worked in wilderness therapy with 15 to 18-year-old boys—work I truly loved. I cared deeply for my clients and stayed committed through the challenges of the pandemic. But as is often the case in social work, being good at my job meant constantly handling crisis situations. Eventually, I hit total burnout. I quit, with no plan, and spent the next six months just trying to recover.
Moving to the ocean was a turning point. I landed on the Oregon Coast, in tiny town called Yachats with a house with an ocean view, and started making art again—not as a career move, but as a way to heal. As I reconnected with creativity, I also noticed something: so much of the coastal souvenir market was dominated by cheap, mass-produced items from overseas. Meanwhile, Yachats was this incredibly supportive, creative community that encouraged me to share my work.
That’s when it clicked—I could make art for a living, and I could do it in a way that supports local businesses and keeps production close to home.
After three years of splitting my time between Central Oregon and the Coast, I’ve now been building my art business full-time for over a year. My work is inspired by the wild—by the way animals and nature speak to me and through me. I create pieces that capture shared experiences with nature, and I love that my art now gets to be a part of other people’s adventures, too.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Burnout doesn’t just go away because you take a break—it lingers, reshaping everything, even the things you once loved. After leaving social work, I wasn’t just exhausted; I was completely disconnected from myself.
There were days when getting out of bed felt impossible. When the biggest thing I could manage was throwing on sunglasses, taking my dog to the park, and just letting him run while I stood there, tears streaming down my face. Even feeding myself felt like an accomplishment. The only thing I kept myself accountable to was getting outside—taking 10,000 steps, hitting arbitrary goals that forced me to move, to go through the motions while my soul slowly began to heal. Therapy—so much therapy. Taking care of my body, even when my mind wasn’t there yet.
At first, it was just about survival. But slowly, I started paying attention to what actually felt good, to what gave me even the smallest spark of energy. And that became my focus—not just rebuilding my life, but finding alignment. I had spent years listening to everyone else’s needs, constantly managing crises, until I had nothing left for myself. So I started doing something different: I made listening to myself the most important part of building my business.
That means that when something derails me, I don’t just push through—I pause. I adjust. I’ve learned that creating sustainably doesn’t just mean using eco-friendly materials; it also means building a business in a way that supports me, instead of drains me. That’s been the hardest and most important lesson—learning to trust my own pace, my own instincts, and my own way forward.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I create art inspired by wild places—the outdoors have always been where I feel strongest, most aligned, most me. Nature is where I go to find myself, to unplug, to be with the people I love, to be present. My work is about capturing that energy.
Animals speak to me—I believe they choose when to let me see them. I don’t take anything in nature for granted. I never assume I’ll see the sunrise; I cry when the trees stand draped in their snowy gowns. I squeal with glee when an otter pauses his dinner to curiously watch me, coming closer, investigating. These moments are magic, and that’s what I bring into my art—the connection we feel in nature, the experiences that remind us who we are and connect us to each other.
I create aligned—which for me means doing the right things for the right reasons. Every piece is hand-drawn, and I partner with rad local businesses that specialize in eco-friendly, sustainable printing. They use solar power, earth-conscious materials, and thoughtful processes that honor the world we love.
I’m most proud that everything I do is authentic—true to my vision, my mission, and the wild places that inspire it all.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is to slow down and let nature teach me.
For a long time, I pushed myself too hard, convinced that everything was urgent, that I had to do it all perfectly. But nature doesn’t rush—it moves at its own pace, and everything still gets done. The seasons change, the tide rises and falls, the trees grow tall—not because they force it, but because they allow it.
I’ve learned that I don’t have to be everything all at once. Nature thrives through balance and interconnectedness—no single part is the star of the show. The desert isn’t lesser than the ocean; the tidepool isn’t more important than the old-growth forest. Everything has its place, its rhythm, and its purpose.
Slowing down has taught me to trust my own pace. To create when I’m inspired, to rest when I need it, to build my business in a way that feels aligned—not forced. Just like nature, we are strongest when we honor the ebb and flow of our own seasons.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ArtworkBySophia.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/art_work_by_sophia/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Artwork-By-Sophia/100092579651517/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophia-lemaitre-392736234
