Sophia Rodionov of Lakeville on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Sophia Rodionov. Check out our conversation below.

Sophia, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Reading! I loved to read real books (paper ones) so bad, but with all the schedule of last years completely stopped reading fiction. I could spend some time of reading before going to sleep, but was so tired that fell a sleep after reading a page… About month ago I decided I should bring it back into my life and I found the way! Now I’m starting my morning with reading something I really love with first cup of coffee (to do this I had to set up phone downtime settings for morning, this way I don’t able to open work chats or email until 8 am). And this new habit just make me more happy every day! And finally I can tell I’ve read already 7 books in a month!

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Sophia Rodionov, an Estonia-born visual artist and educator working primarily in watercolor and mixed media. My work explores the space between reality and abstraction—between what we see and what we feel. Deeply influenced by East-Asian philosophy and the Japanese concept of ma—the meaningful pause—I see painting as a meditation on the invisible layers of human experience.

After beginning my studies in chemistry, I shifted fully into art, earning my BFA from Haifa University in 2006. Since then, my paintings have been exhibited internationally across Europe, the U.S., and Asia, and I’ve been honored with awards such as the Jackson’s Art Prize and the Abu Rawash Prize.

Beyond my studio practice, I founded CanotStopPainting, an educational art platform and community that grew from my belief that painting is a language beyond words. Through my online courses, live classes, and mentoring programs, I help artists around the world discover freedom, confidence, and their own visual voice in watercolor and mixed media.

Recently, I’ve returned to one of my lifelong subjects—trees. I’ve always loved painting them, but now I’m approaching this theme with a new breath of freedom and depth. The ongoing series I’m developing is rooted in the idea of nature as a mirror of our inner world—trees as symbols of growth, memory, and spiritual connection. This project also inspires my teaching: I encourage artists to look at trees not only as forms in nature but as reflections of themselves, of their inner rhythm and balance.

At its heart, my brand CanotStopPainting is both a statement and a truth—I really cannot stop painting. It’s not only my profession but my way of staying connected to the world, of finding presence and meaning through color, water, and flow.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
I still remember that moment very clearly — I was about five years old, in a Sunday preschool art class. It was my favorite day of the week: we had dance, painting, ethics, and English, but I was always waiting for the art lesson most of all.

One autumn Sunday, the theme was fall trees. We were supposed to paint a simple trunk with a brush and then stamp on leaves. But I couldn’t resist the view from the window — real trees glowing outside — so I painted more than one, adding smaller trees in the distance. I didn’t know the word “perspective,” but somehow I felt it.

When my teacher saw the painting, she called my parents and told them they should send me to an art school — she said it was the first time she’d seen a five-year-old use perspective instinctively. I remember that moment as if it was yesterday: the thrill, the quiet certainty running through my hands. For the first time, I felt that my vision and my painting were my power.

That realization never left me. It still guides everything I do — whether I’m painting, teaching, or helping others find that same sense of creative strength within themselves.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Oh yes—yesterday. And probably the week before, too.

To tell you the truth, the last few years have been incredibly difficult. My mother was diagnosed with cancer, my father went through serious heart surgeries—thankfully, they are both doing better now, but it was a long period of fear and uncertainty. Around the same time, my beloved cat of 19 years crossed the rainbow bridge after a long illness. It felt like everything that grounded me was shaking.

When your business is built entirely on your own activity, there’s no one to step in when life overwhelms you. If you can’t paint, teach, or create content—everything stops. And it’s very hard to stay creative when you live with constant worry and exhaustion.

There were many moments I thought of giving up. But then I imagine my life without painting—doing it “just as a hobby.” I can almost feel that life, and it scares me much more than all the challenges I face now. I know how unhappy I would become if I stopped. So I take a deep breath, look at my schedule, pick up the brush, and keep going. Because painting is not what I do—it’s who I am.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
For a long time, I truly believed that if you just do your work the best you can, people will notice and success will naturally follow. I was raised on the idea that professionalism and mastery speak for themselves—that if your art or craft is good enough, everything else will fall into place.

But life (and the modern creative world) taught me otherwise. Today, you can be incredibly talented and still remain unseen, while someone less experienced but great at self-promotion can thrive. It’s not fair—but it’s reality.

At first, this realization felt sad and a bit bitter. But over time, I learned to accept it as part of the game. I’m still not the loudest person in the room, but as a freelancer and artist, I’m learning how to share my work, tell my story, and play by these new rules—without losing my authenticity.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
Actually, since 2023 I’ve realized very clearly that life doesn’t guarantee even 10 years ahead. It’s unpredictable, fragile, and sometimes changes in a single moment. That awareness made me stop worrying about so many things that used to feel important.

So honestly, there’s nothing in my life now that I’d want to stop doing. But there is something I still want to learn—to truly enjoy every single moment. I’m already on that path, though I’m far from mastering it.

Earlier this year, I rescued a little puppy named Molly, and she’s been my best teacher in this. Every day she reminds me how much joy there is in simple things: walking together, playing, just being here and now. I want to live more like that—to feel the happiness of existing, without rushing, without fear—just fully alive.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://courses.canotstop.com/ https://canotstoppainting.art/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/canotstoppainting/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophie.rodionov
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CanotStopPainting

Image Credits
Sophia Rodionov
Anna Zavyalov