ARTIST BIO: SOPHIA PFAFF SHALMIYEV born in 1978, emigrated from Russia to NYC in 1990 and moved to Olympia, WA to attend The Evergreen State College in 1996. She studied early childhood education, film, painting, photography, and costume design. Mostly interested in feminist politics and art, she joined bands, wrote fanzines and curated art shows that explored the validity of confessional and confrontational narrative. Sophia attended The School of Visual Arts for graduate studies in NYC from 2003-2005, and earned a masters degree as a licensed creative arts therapist. She has worked in schools, domestic violence shelters, rehab clinics, and hospitals, bringing the much needed healing aspects of the arts to all settings. Sophia currently makes art and lives in Cannon Beach with her husband and two-year-old son. She is a board member with the CBAA, and darkroom member of Astoria's LightBox. She dreams of someday being a truly bicoastal feminist artist, weaving together Cannon Beach's quiet charm with NYC's brilliant adrenaline rush.