Interview with Sophia Marie Pappas

At only 5 feet and 2 inches wide, the Skinny Building is one of the narrowest commercial buildings in the world.

Headshot taken by August Pappas

To revitalize this building and downtown Pittsburgh, TASC was asked to manage the creation of a mural to commemorate this historic landmark. After an initial open call process, we landed on a design by Sophia Marie Pappas and worked with her on this project in early 2024. We recently sat down with Sophia to talk about her artistic process and what she has coming up next.

1) What is your artistic process like? 

It really depends on the project. If it's a commercial project, I do a lot of sketches and rounds of feedback with the client. When I make work for myself I get to be a lot more impulsive and experimental. 

Image taken by Hannah Colen

2) Where do you draw inspiration? 

I have a ton of sources for inspiration, right now I am particularly interested in ancient sculpture from Mayans and Greeks. 

3) What is the purpose of the work you make? 

As an illustrator, the purpose of my work is to solve whatever problem the client is bringing to me. When I make work for myself, the purpose is different in that I don't think too much about the purpose of the work at all. I want to make work, so I do. The purpose for me is in the making of it, the finished piece is just an artifact of that process and whatever happens to it afterwards I'm not as interested in.

4) What is the most meaningful work you feel you’ve created so far? 

4) My mural "Winsome Losesome" for Bunker Project's back patio has been the most meaningful work I've created. It was one of the first times I worked on a large self-directed piece, and I am incredibly grateful.

5) What do you have coming up next?

5) I am working on a piece for an upcoming group exhibition titled "Biota" at the Pittsburgh Center for Art and Media

6) How can our audience support you?

If you like my work, hire me to make more murals :)