Sophie Bouwsma (she/they) (b. 1992, United States) is a self-taught textile artist, peacebuilder and therapeutic musician living and working in Washington, DC.

Sophie uses primarily thrifted materials in her work and combines techniques such as applique, quilting, beading and embroidery, completing each piece by hand. Sophie’s practice intentionally embraces imperfection, rawness of emotion, and a foundational sense of defiance while engaging with topics such as religion and religious trauma, sexuality, US politics and exceptionalism, and the messiness of human experience. Through a focus on challenging subjects via the slow, familiar, and meditative nature of textiles, their work creates a respite for catharsis, reflection and imagination.

Sophie’s work has been featured in multiple galleries and installations including the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center, Art Enables, Dairy Barn Arts Center, LOOK Arlington, and ArtPrize. Her collaborative installation entered in ArtPrize 2026 was recognized with the Visiting Artist Juried Award.

Photograph by Daniella Heflin

artist statement

As a self-taught textile artist using primarily repurposed materials, my work consciously embraces imperfection, rawness of emotion, and a sense of defiance. Using a combination of applique, quilting, beading and embroidery, I create work that engages often controversial topics such as religion and religious trauma, sexuality, US politics and exceptionalism, and the messiness of raw human emotion, making extensive use of text in addition to image. Driving all my work is a foundational sense of defiance- defiance against repression, societal expectations, perfectionism, trauma, and oppressive structures, both internally and externally. Sometimes this defiance is expressed through rage and critique, and sometimes it is expressed through deep joy and hope in the face of struggle.

As a result of using primarily thrifted and repurposed materials, experimentation and improvisation are key to my process. I shape applique pieces by hand and leave textile edges unhemmed. If a shape is cut “imperfectly,” that becomes a feature of the work. While planning and imagining are part of my practice, experimentation and embodiment are also essential parts of the creative process. This improvisatory approach forces me out of perfectionism and overthinking and allows me to embrace the textiles’ raw edges and unique attributes as key elements of the art. Works are shaped by the materials I have available, which bring the wear and mismatched nature of their varied histories to the artwork. Hand sewing my work brings a meditative intentionality to the process, infusing each piece with the weight of time and tactility, particularly in an increasingly virtual world.

Through both its explicit engagement with challenging topics and the freedom of its material processes, my work challenges established perspectives and expectations to ultimately declare that alternative presents and futures are possible. From deeply personal experiences to national and international issues, my practice engages with the anguish and possibility of the current moment. By channeling that anguish and possibility into hand-sewn textiles, with their slow, familiar, and meditative nature, my work creates a respite for catharsis, reflection and imagination.