Hello
and
welcome
a digital portfolio of evelina Sopule
a bit about me
I'm a painter and educator whose work explores the layers of identity shaped by place, culture, and memory. Born into a blend of Latvian, Russian, and Irish heritage, my art practice is rooted in navigating these intertwined backgrounds and the contrasts between them.
Working primarily in oil on canvas, I create large-scale collage-style paintings that merge traditional techniques with a contemporary sensibility. My compositions are bold, bright, and saturated, reflecting both the emotional intensity of my subjects and my own personality. I draw from personal experience, visual memory, and cultural symbolism to construct scenes that feel at once familiar and fragmented.
Alongside my studio practice, I’m passionate about art education. I bring the same curiosity and playfulness from my paintings into my teaching, aiming to make art accessible, meaningful, and empowering for learners of all ages.
Whether through painting or teaching, my work is about connection, between people, between cultures, and between the past and the present.
STUDIO PRACTICE
Working primarily in oil on canvas, I create large-scale, collage-style paintings that combine traditional techniques with a contemporary sensibility.
My compositions are bold, bright, and saturated, reflecting emotional intensity and a strong personal voice. Drawing from personal experience, visual memory, and cultural symbolism, I construct scenes that feel both familiar and fragmented.
educational practice
While working from the outlined curriculum, I actively expand upon it by integrating elements of my own studio practice, contemporary art, and current cultural references. I encourage curiosity, experimentation, and play, helping students connect traditional skills with more up-to-date ideas and ways of making.
My aim is to make art education accessible, relevant, and empowering, allowing learners to see art not as something fixed or distant, but as a living practice connected to their own experiences and the world around them.
Studio practice unit of learning
in a 16 lesson block, The project begins with a visual journal, where students experiment with drawing and record ideas related to who they are and the spaces around them. They create observational drawings of meaningful objects and surroundings, then develop these into an A3 collage. Using a viewfinder, students refine their compositions before being introduced to egg tempera paint. Through thumbnail sketches, they plan and create a final monochromatic painting that brings together their ideas into a finished artwork.
aim of the unit of learning
Under the theme of ‘My identity and surroundings’, students will explore and appreciate the process an artist goes through to develop and create an artwork. with evidence of contrast, colour, value and balance. with support of my own studio practice and process, historical and contemporary artists and techniques.
visual studies unit of learning
in a 5 lesson block, students were introduced to Bronze Age history and visual culture, learning how function, symbolism, and craftsmanship influenced design. Through looking at historical artefacts alongside contemporary interpretations, students developed an understanding of how making is shaped by time, place, and resources.
aim of the unit of learning
To Learn and explore the significance and life of the Bronze and Iron Age, while focusing on artefacts and the techniques used to create these with the help of experimenting the techniques used, focusing on, line, shape and technique
art element and design principles unit of learning
in an 11 lesson block, Students selected an object of their choice and explored it through drawing while responding to a chosen AEDP title. Alongside this, they were introduced to a variety of media, allowing them to experiment with different materials and mark-making techniques. Each AEDP was explored through the creation of an accordion zine, which acted as both a learning tool and a record of their ideas. The project was supported by references to historical and contemporary artists, helping students understand how artists approach objects in different ways and encouraging them to make connections between their own work and wider art practices.
aim of the unit of learning
Under the theme of ‘The object lab’, students will choose an object of their choice and draw/ deconstruct it to fit under the chosen AEDP title. all while being introduced and exploring each AEDP in an accordion zine, with support of contemporary and historic artists
courses I've completed
research
Throughout my education, I completed a series of research projects that have informed and strengthened both my artistic and educational practices. Each research project focused on different perspectives, theories, and discussions, allowing me to explore a wide range of opinions and approaches. While varied in focus, these studies were all connected by an ongoing interest in identity and education, and how personal, cultural, and social experiences shape both learning and creative expression.
This essay argues that modern education, influenced by Functionalism, the hidden curriculum, and McDonaldization, limits creativity and individuality by prioritising conformity and grades. It calls for a system that encourages freedom, exploration, and self-discovery, allowing students to think critically and develop their own perspectives.
this essay explores how today’s education system prioritises economic outcomes over personal growth, drawing on Maxine Greene’s Artistic–Aesthetic Curriculum, Ritzer’s McDonaldization, and Bowles and Gintis’ Human Capital Theory. It argues that art is essential for developing imagination, critical thinking, and identity, offering students a more human-centred and meaningful education.
We never fully know our “true self” because others’ perceptions shape multiple versions of us. Pirandello’s One, No One, and One Hundred Thousand and Higgins’ self-discrepancy theory show the tension between our actual, ideal, and ought selves, while Ullman’s social media project demonstrates how curated online identities further distort self-perception. Identity is a constant balance between internal desires and external expectations.
This essay argues that modern schools, influenced by Ritzer’s McDonaldization, prioritise grades and efficiency over creativity and personal growth. Drawing on personal experience, it shows how strict rules and exam-focused teaching limit individuality and critical thinking, and calls for a curriculum that allows students to explore, form opinions, and develop their identities.