Sophia Gao

 

A+ Studio Founder and Director​

​

a graduate of the illustrious Central Academy of Fine Arts in China belongs to a storied lineage of Chinese art masters. Her artistic heritage traces back to her ancestor, the revered Qing Dynasty grandmaster Xu Ye Fen. Under the tutelage of her grandfather, the distinguished artist Xu Zhi-Xiong, Gao was steeped in the traditions of classical Chinese art, yet her vision is anything but bound by convention. With a deft hand, she weaves together the ancient and the contemporary, creating works that resonate with both heritage and innovation.

​

Her education at China’s most prestigious art institution—widely recognized as one of the best in the world—was a formative journey that shaped her unique artistic voice. After graduating with honours, Gao embarked on her career as an art editor for renowned publications before dedicating herself fully to her creative practice. Now based in Toronto, her work is represented by prestigious galleries in Toronto and Hamilton, with her paintings housed in esteemed private collections across Canada, the United States, and China.

Gao’s artistry is distinguished by its deep sensitivity to the natural world. Her paintings, infused with both elegance and emotional depth, translate the beauty of nature—its flowers, seas, and landscapes—into vivid visual poetry. The harmonious fusion of traditional techniques with modern expression breathes life into her canvases, creating a dialogue between the past and present. Her renowned oil painting, Qi, was selected as the cover art for Steinway artist David Braid’s album Flow, a testament to the evocative power and universal appeal of her work.

 

​

艺术家：Sophia Gao

 

Sophia Gao是清代著名政治文史书画大家，光绪十五年授翰林院学士——许叶棻的后代。自五岁起学习绘画及书法，以优异成绩毕业于享誉世界的中央美术学院，并取得BFA学士学位。自幼师承外祖父许枝雄、许林邨——当代书画名家，曾为老舍先生题碑。她还得到当代书画大师爱新觉罗• 启功的赏识及举荐。在考入美院之前已进入Oracle甲骨文及奥美4A广告公司带薪实习，央美大三未结束她就被聘请为高端奢侈品钟表杂志《巅峰时间》的创刊美编；工作两年之后于人民日报社任国家企业刊物的美术编辑；而后在传媒巨头公司任《宝马》、《中国银行》贵宾刊的美术设计，此公司的出版物包括ELLE、嘉人等国际高端大刊。移居多伦多后专业从事儿童美术教育工作并创办了童画视界美术教室，培养了许许多多充满创意及表现力的孩子，辅导的学生在加拿大各大绘画比赛中屡获殊荣。她现从事职业艺术家的工作，自幼艺术世家的熏陶对她日后的创作影响深远，她的绘画融合了东西方元素，运用油画、丙烯、水彩等媒介，明亮感人的色彩细腻地融入每个笔触。她的作品在加拿大多家国立美术馆及画廊展出，参与多次国际艺术盛会及团体画展，举办数次个人画展。其原创作品，以及客户定制画作深受世界各地藏家及艺术爱好者的欢迎并收藏，画作极具收藏价值。Sophia 的油画作品“Qi气”还被选做世界闻名的施坦威钢琴大师，多次Juno Award获奖者——David Braid的CD及黑胶唱片《Flow》的封面，由纽约施坦威唱片公司出品并于全世界发行。加拿大新时代电台, 著名的女仕界公众平台及FM105.9的《多城故事》都对Sophia进行过专访。