Millionaire Instagram artist who started ‘glitter boobs’ trend is walking away from painting nudes
Instagram artist who kickstarted the ‘glitter boobs’ trend shares why she is walking away from painting nudes – despite selling over $9million worth THIS YEAR
- Millionaire Instagram artist, Sophie Tea, reveals she wont paint anymore nudes
- The 28-year-old from London lives and work in Sydney’s northern beaches
- She saw a surge in popularity after kickstarting the glitter-boob phase in 2012
Sophie Tea, the millionaire Instagram artist who kickstarted the glitter boob trend and became well know for her empowering portraits of naked women, is moving on to new things – despite selling over $9million worth of work in just 12 months.
The 28-year-old artist who lives and work between Sydney and London has exclusively revealed to FEMAIL she is walking away from painting nudes.
‘I’m moving on from painting nudes completely,’ she said, adding that ‘it is so important to always reinvent’.
Sophie Tea, the millionaire Instagram artist who kickstarted the glitter boob trend and became well know for her empowering portraits of naked women is moving on to new things – despite selling over $9million worth of work in just 12 months
She is pictured here making the finishing touches on her favourite piece from her recent show – an artwork celebrating the strength and beauty of women with breast cancer
The 28-year-old artist who lives and work between Sydney and London has exclusively revealed to FEMAIL she is putting down her paintbrushes and walking away from painting nudes
Sophie revealed the news on Thursday morning following her very successful art show in Manly, Sydney – where she displayed her most recent body of work celebrating and empowering women.
She added that if people missed out on one of her nude painting this time, then it is too late.
Women of all shapes, sizes and ages were featured in the collection, including a transgender woman – as Sophie wanted to reflect on the whole of womanhood.
The show also featured a runway, where real women proudly showed off their bodies, wearing nothing but undies and a splash of paint by Sophie.
‘They were so brave, especially after they came off from the second show – just the look of glee on their faces, it was like lets go girls,’ Sophie said.
Now the artist has revealed she will no longer paint nudes – after two years of using her skills to empower women.
‘I am walking away from painting nudes, I want to continue to grow as an artist,’ she said.
‘I’m moving on from painting nudes completely,’ she said, ‘it is so important to always reinvent.’
The artist has been painting nudes for two years – after making the transition from abstract art
Sophie’s nude artworks have been so popular and become so well-known that she has had to do call outs for naked pictures over social media.
Over the last year she has received thousands of nude pictures from women all over the world.
Sophie has sold more than 2,500 pieces of art in the last year.
She says her hands, back and legs are sore from her endless hours in the studio.
Selling using Instagram the popular artist usually drops 100 pieces of art a month, either prints or originals at a time.
These usually sell out in less than 30 seconds.
‘When they don’t sell out that quickly now it kind of gets to me I give myself a really hard time,’ she said.
She recently sold 250 holographic prints in her biggest art drop yet – following her runway show
She said if an artwork takes ten minutes to sell she is ‘fuming’ and heads straight back to the drawing board to work out what she can do next.
‘Obviously that’s ridiculous but it is my personality and it is why I keep pushing for more,’ she laughed.
Sophie also sold a limited edition holographic print to celebrate her show, with 250 lucky collectors taking one home.
‘I think the people who bought the holographic print probably have more of my art at home,’ she said adding the holographic element to the artwork was a risk.
‘First time buyers want an original or a straight print,’ she said.
Sophie started her journey as an artist when she was 21, and painted a brightly coloured cow mural on the wall of a hostel in India in exchange for free board.
That’s when she realised she didn’t want to use her business degree and work in the corporate sector – she wanted to become an artist.
‘As I was painting I thought this is making me so happy, I think I need to do this with my life.’
She then emailed the consultancy firm where she had secured a job and quit before she had even started.
‘My friends and family were all surprised, they said they didn’t realise I could paint – and they started asking me if I could paint things like their dog in the same rainbow colours.’
The collection also included a trans woman – with Sophie wanting to celebrate all women in her final nude collection
She was soon selling art over social media and decided to approach galleries.
But they rejected her because she didn’t have the ‘fancy art school credentials’ that were needed to ‘enter the London art scene’.
‘It became a bit of a chip on my shoulder,’ she said.
‘But I have since had my work in a group exhibition,’ she said so she has been able to tick that off her list.
The rejection ended up being great for Sophie’s career, she is now able to sell her art at a competitive rate because there are no galleries taking 50percent of her earnings.
Sophie became famous in 2012 after kickstarting the glitter boob trend
Sophie is incredibly proud of her success in the art world but says she is constantly afraid she will go out of fashion.
‘So I am just making the most of it, because I am constantly worried I will go out of fashion in two years time,’ she said.
Sophie is excited to step into the next phase of her career as an artist – but the destination remains shrouded in secrecy.
The popular artist was catapulted into world-wide fame after starting the glitter boob trend in 2012.
She has since built her multi-million dollar company from the ground up, pouring most of the money back into the company.
