Young artist beautifies CT spaces with her murals. ‘It’s about strengthening the unity’

Bursts of art are bringing the ordinary walls of businesses, schools, and city streets to life across Connecticut.

Where plain brick once stood, there are now vivid hues of human faces, glimpses of underwater worlds, and cascades of wild flora.

Behind many of these community murals is Sophie Groenstein, a 23-year-old artist who’s adding more than just visual flair with her paintbrush, but raising social consciousness and uplifting the spirit of her surrounding community at a large scale.

“My style serves as a multicultural pathway of symbolism, cultural pride, and individuality,” Groenstein said “It’s about strengthening the unity and belonging to the areas people call home.”

With a splash of warmth, a touch of vibrancy, and a sprinkle of personal style, Groenstein aims to weave her artistic narrative into the fabric of Connecticut and beyond to express a message that highlights a business, school, or local organization that she works with. For each blank wall, Groenstein glamorizes with an intimate portrait that captures the eye and heart, she said.

“I was always amazed by the impact that art could have on someone, yet subconsciously I’ve been lending a hand to surrounding communities through art,” she said.

Groenstein was never a stranger to the world of art. From visiting local art galleries in Hartford with her parents to dabbling in various artistic styles in her school art classes and learning from her mother at home, the young artist always had an artistic knack that she pursued more seriously in high school and college. However, it was the summer after graduating from the University of Hartford’s Art School in 2022 when she took her familiarity with her small-scale artwork to a more unfamiliar niche at a much larger scale, becoming one of Connecticut’s youngest professional muralists in the area.

“Before beginning my mural work and teaching myself, I was inspired by other muralists in Hartford like Corey Payne and was astonished by what he was creating,” she said. “I’ve known Corey ever since I was in elementary school” Groenstein said, “and was grateful to have Corey as a mentor through an apprenticeship with RiseUP in 2021.”

The muralist’s first project was at Sage Park Middle School in Windsor, while she was working with RiseUP, a nonprofit bringing public art to communities. Since then, she has completed about 50 murals across Connecticut, working with a diverse array of clients, and even gained the role of a continuing lead artist with RiseUP for the past two years. “Because of RiseUP, I’ve been given the greatest gift of all, turning my passion into a full-time business,” Groenstein said.

For Lucky Dog Refuge in Stamford, Groenstein captured the light and playful nature of five of the shelter’s dogs in a unique and transportable digital mural for the shelter’s first annual fundraising festival.

“We gave her photos of our long-term dogs who were having a hard time finding their forever homes (left to right Katy, Elle, Emmie, Zero and Mardi) and she gave us an incredible design,” said Samantha Rumore, marketing and business development manager at Lucky Dog Refuge. “Sophie put together a mood board with examples of art styles and we loved the idea of dogs in sunglasses in a beachy sunset setting. She was so open to feedback and edits and ultimately everyone loved the final product.”

Rumore said the best part of the process was that three of these long-term dogs – Katy, Emmie and Zero – found new homes after being included in the mural.

For most of her projects, Groenstein begins with understanding her client’s vision, such as it being family-friendly and welcoming. From there, she connects this vision to her style and then, uses the size and shape of the chosen wall as the base for her design. One of her largest painted murals was about three stories high for Athletic Brewing Company’s distribution center in Milford, she said.

Most of the time, Groenstein has personally reached out to various business and community groups who would be interested in collaborating. Similar to Lucky Dog Refuge, Groenstein reached out to Back East Brewing right before an upcoming event, approaching its tenth anniversary.

“We always envisioned a warm, creative atmosphere for our newer 2,500 square foot tap room. We were so impressed by Sophie’s ability to blend art and beauty in a public space,” said Jamie Loomis, general manager at Back East Brewing Company. “Her artistic vision surpassed our expectations, turning the formerly blank wall into a vibrant look into the brewing process. The mural has seamlessly become an integral part of the Back East atmosphere and customer experience.”

Now, the previously bleak wall serves as a conversation piece which Loomis says “allows us to immerse our customers in the brewing culture, creating a welcoming and fun vibe that enhances their overall experience.”

After just two years, Groenstein has gained recognition throughout Connecticut and beyond. The muralist has done most of her outdoor projects in the warmer months and spends her days driving throughout Connecticut with brushes, paint, a pair of overalls, and ladders in tow, fulfilling her mission to connect communities through creativity. The next few months will be busy ones for the muralist, who was recently selected by the Greater Hartford Arts Council to bring a Hartford school wall to life. And, she will be working with one of the fastest-growing U.S. companies, LesserEvil LLC, a Danbury-based manufacturer of clean, healthful snacks.

“Being able to express myself through murals influenced me to continuously learn about the history of a community through a new lens and perspective; uplifting the residents through respect and equity,” Groenstein said. Her mission as a professional muralist is to empower those of all ages to find their inner artists and to take initiative when a community is being built.

For more information about Sophie Groenstein and to view a gallery of her murals, paintings, and drawings, visit www.sophiegroenstein.com or email contact@sophiegroenstein.com.