A Studio Arts graduate of The College of New Rochelle, Sophia Domeville is also the CEO and Founder of Ms. Phia Presents, a small special event planning boutique based in New York City. Ms. Phia Presents provides art based socials, live painting showcases and non-profit events focusing on the development of artists. One of her most successful events, “Cocktails & Canvases”, is the first of many events from her summer series that seeks to bring together young professionals, art enthusiasts, and up & coming artists, creating an interactive networking environment, entwined with the social aspect in giving back to the community at large.
Sophia Domeville passion of giving back to the community granted her an opportunity to become Mentor and Founding member for a non-profit organization, herDIVASpot. a non-profit entity that promotes the value and self-development of school aged young ladies.
The organization seeks to cultivate and promote the value and self-development of school aged young ladies. Through mentoring, educational and cultural exposure, herDIVASpot aim to produce civic and socially minded, financially literate, and spiritually grounded young women.
Because of her countless efforts within the community as a Haitian American Artist, Sophia Domeville has received the prestigious nomination for The Black Street Award within the arts category as a Haitian American artist who has made major impact within the community, spotlighted on PIX11 Morning news, announced as August 2012 Bel Ti Fi of the month for Bel Ti Fi organization, featured in Amour Creole Magazine Fall issue as a Haitian American Artist , spotlighted on Newspitter Blog site for her inspiration and passion within the Arts and numerous media platforms.
Recently Ms. Domeville returned from her trip to Haiti sponsored as a Teaching Artist for Art Day Celebration, a program which cultivate and empower impoverished and underprivileged children through the Arts in Haiti where she taught to 150 children from three different orphanages on the power of Art. Her work was so well received; Art Day Celebration has asked Ms. Domeville to continue working with the organization on various projects and redevelop the artwork shop in Haiti.
As an artist, Sophia Domeville has done live painting shows working with numerous nonprofit organizations within Sounds of Brazil, The State Room, Santos Party House, Jade Eatery & Lounge, Liberty Theater, Toro Lounge, Caribbean Heritage Arts Preservation Society in Philadelphia and more! Her work can currently be viewed at La Caye Premiere Haitian Restaurant across from The Brooklyn Academy of Music and Vine n Branches Wine Bar in Brooklyn. Sophia Domeville is not only an event planner, but an artist who understands the meaning of connecting with an audience, as well as building long lasting relationships through various uses of art.
In a recent interview with GlobalVoices Sophia Said:
Sophia Domeville: I started painting when I was 5 years old. First it started with my obsession of drawing on ALL of the walls within my home. In kindergarten, I was introduced to water colors and remember creating my first art work. I specifically remembered mixing colors just to get the right shade of green for the leaves on my tree, adding orange to the yellow of the sun and a dash of white to the sky. I didn’t realize it was something I loved until my freshman year in high school. While all of the other students were drawing geometric, I was experimenting with contrasting shades [and] adding depth to my shapes. I personally didn’t think anything of it but my art teacher noticed. She suggested I switch my major from English to Art. Funny thing, at first writing was my passion; I created short stories since elementary school but would bind my own handmade books with ribbon and draw an elaborate illustration as the book cover. I took Advanced Art for the next 3 years in high school.
This truly became my passion when I entered my first year within The College of New Rochelle, School of Arts & Science. Being away from my dad, having the room to just be myself without any restrictions, being advised by one of the best art departments I know and just creat[ing] into wee hours of the morning, helped carve out my craft immensely. I actually still remember drawing on 6ft by 6ft parchment within the halls of [the] dorm, feverishly creating the images that were in my head. The title of my piece was, “Black Skin, White Mask”…at 18 I was discussing racism, sexism and the masks we as a people wore on a daily basis just to survive within this world.
My influences have always been my Haitian Culture, music, my family and how I view the world as a young woman.
I have been drawing, painting and creating from the time I learned how to read and write. My vision evolved from understanding [how] the world around us affects our point of view as human beings, researching the topics of Nature in connection with the human body, breaking down the image on the societal views of Black Women, discovering Love for the first time, to using my Art as a tool that can help cultivate the world around me. My work habits and techniques are quite unusual. I paint when I am inspired, emotional, in love, curious or angry. There is no set formula or structure to my art because it really is quite organic and never forced. I prefer painting between the hours of midnight to 4:00 AM ever since I was in college and that nocturnal habit [is] with me years later.
My plans? To somehow create an opportunity to live and teach in South Africa or Ghana for 6 months to a year. I will continue [to] push myself as an artist, travel outside of the country to showcase my work, take on photography, printmaking, experiment on raw materials such as leather, cloth, rope and more. I am looking to deconstruct my usage of canvas and push the envelope on the idea of female identity with my new exhibition titled, ‘The Diary of a So-Called Woman’.
In the end, I will continue my work as a philanthropist, work with various schools both domestic and international, by introducing the importance of Art back into the schools and changing every community I encounter.
Learn more about Sophia here.
- “Repercussion”
- Haitian American Artist, Sophia Domeville was selected to be one of thirty artists exhibiting alongside featured artist, Janet Taylor Pickett for Art in the Atrium, Inc.’s 21st anniversary exhibit, “Generation Next”. “Generation Next” will open on Monday, January 21st to March 22.
