Adventist Child Artist Exhibits Paintings at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris

Eleven-year-old Sophia Helena Moreira recently experienced one of the most important moments in her young career as an artist. Born in Madureira, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sophia exhibited three of her paintings at the prestigious International Salon of Contemporary Art — Carrousel du Louvre. The exhibition took place October 18-20 in Paris.

In December 2023, Sophia received the news that her works would be exhibited at the Carrousel du Louvre. So, in the last three months, Moreira dedicated herself to preparing the three canvases that would become part of the exhibition. The young artist spared neither Sundays nor holidays to paint.

“For me, painting gives me pleasure and peace. I had to rush, but it was fun,” she says.

Her Paintings

The works selected for the exhibition were “Bottom of the Sea,” “A Young Lady,” and “Beautiful.” Those three paintings showcase her creativity and freedom when using a paintbrush, she explains.

“I usually start painting with some strokes and stains,” Sophia says. “Then I imagine what can become and proceed to get it reflected on the canvas. Sometimes, I mix the abstract with the figurative as well.”

Happiness and gratitude are the words Sophia’s family chose to describe the days the family spent in Paris. “We were looking forward to this moment and thank God everything worked out,” the girl’s mother, Daniele Moreira, says. “We praise Him for all the care and for making this great dream come true.”

Adventist School Discovered Her Talent

Sophia’s experience as an artist began when she was six years old and was attending Jacarepagua Adventist Academy. While attending the school, she displayed above-average artistic abilities, so much so that her art teacher at the time contacted the girl’s mother and asked her to invest in this gift. No one could have imagined that a few years later, this little girl would have the opportunity to display her paintings at the Louvre, her former teachers said.

At seven, Sophia asked her mother to buy her a canvas and, from there, she found herself in the world of art. One of her first paintings was the figure of Jesus, which was exhibited at a fair hosted by the Adventurers’ Club. At nine, she started taking painting classes in a studio and had her first exposure to professional painting using acrylic paint.

Currently, Sophia paints mostly landscapes, animals, and abstract images with acrylic paint, and has almost 30 paintings finished. According to her, she intends to inspire the observer to have “joy, positive thoughts, and get interested in art and culture.”

The original version of this story was posted on the South American Division Portuguese-language news site.