I’m an artist, singer-songwriter, mom and the founder of Essem Art Studio. To my little artists, I’m Miss Sophia, and there’s no title I love more. Some of my favorite moments happen right here at the art table: a child beaming over something they made, a grown-up finally exhaling, and a room full of kids singing along to the music while they paint.

I’ve been a performer for most of my life, and that energy comes with me into the studio every day. I love lighting up a room and making everyone in it feel part of something joyful. My path here wasn’t a straight line. Years on stage, time in the corporate world and a lifelong love of making things each taught me something I bring to Essem today: the courage to try something new, the know-how to build something that lasts, and the belief that creativity belongs in every part of life.

What started in 2018 as a search for space to grow my own art practice became a place to create with my daughter, and blossomed into the joyful studio Charlestown families know today. Painting together reminded me of the magic of making art without worrying about getting it right. That feeling is at the heart of everything we do.

Walk into the studio and you’ll find sunlight, color and music, and usually a lot of laughter. As a mom, I know what it means to hand your child to someone else’s care, and I take that trust to heart. Every child here is listened to, laughed with and taken seriously, because what matters to them matters to me.

I’m proud to be part of Charlestown. Through Family Art Nights, local partnerships and programs for every generation, Essem has welcomed hundreds of families to the joy of making art, and I can’t wait to meet yours.