For Scottish illustrator Sophy Louise, storytelling has always been at the heart of her art. From childhood days spent devouring books to building a career in illustration, her creative journey has been shaped by a deep love for narrative and a desire to capture it visually.

“I always loved storytelling, and I always loved books,” she says. “It was really interesting to have the opportunity to try and make visual images of the stories that I loved.” That passion has grown into a distinctive artistic practice, where her illustrations don’t just accompany stories — they become them.

Sophy’s work is steeped in personal and cultural themes, blending elements of Scottish folklore, history, and modern identity. “A lot of my illustrations draw from Scottish-based themes,” she explains. “Folklore, myths, and even our more archaic contemporary culture — it’s all in there.”

She sees her art as a bridge between the stories she grew up with and the stories she wants to tell now. “It was always a way I could connect with the stories I loved and then make something special from them.” Through illustration, she creates a visual language that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly new.

Cultural storytelling is at the core of Sophy’s work. Her illustrations often highlight overlooked or underrepresented Scottish narratives, drawing attention to the richness and variety of her heritage. “I think it’s important to highlight the interesting people in the stories that Scotland has. There’s a lot of information and history that I can really play with in my work.”

This love for mythology and local culture inspired her to explore Scottish identity more deeply through illustration. “I got really into mythology, and it really inspired me to start illustrating,” she says. Her pieces are often textured with symbolic references, pulling from oral traditions and age-old tales to give them new life on the page.

As a woman working in illustration, Sophy also brings a feminist perspective to her storytelling. Many of her pieces focus on the quiet power of women in folklore, or reimagine traditional tales with a fresh lens. It’s this blend of cultural reverence and personal interpretation that gives her work such emotional resonance.

For Sophy, illustration isn’t just about making something beautiful — it’s about connecting people to stories, to history, and to each other. Whether she’s capturing the essence of a Highland myth or a quiet moment in modern Scottish life, her work invites viewers to pause, reflect, and remember.

In a world saturated with fast content and fleeting trends, Sophy Louise is carving out a space for storytelling that lingers. With each brushstroke, she celebrates the past while creating something entirely her own — a visual archive of the stories that continue to shape who we are.