"My practice blurs the imaginary boundaries between art, craft and design. Whether investigating materials, processes, function, or form – I let the work inform me, both as mentor and muse. I am happiest when working with my hands, and enjoy the challenge of transforming what has been overlooked and coaxing meaning from the undervalued. I am always on the lookout for crouching tigers within the discarded. (In Chinese culture, a “crouching tiger” is one who is underestimated and denied opportunities to reach their full potential.)”

Sonia Chow is a designer, artist and educator. She lived in Tokyo and Hong Kong from 2002 to 2018 before moving to Halifax, and now is focused on making art from textiles, wood, words, salvaged materials and found objects. She has a BDes in Communication Design and a MFA in Studio (interdisciplinary art).

Sonia was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts for Graphic Design in 2011 for a body of work spanning branding and identity, publication, packaging and interior graphics. Carving a 4-tonne ice sculpture in 2018 compelled her return to school to concentrate on making art.

Sonia created three art suites of snow and ice for Icehotel Sweden with her partner (2016, 2018, 2022); was artist-in-residence at Centre for Craft Nova Scotia’s wood studio (2022-23) and at the Textile Museum of Canada (2024). She was the recipient of the SSHRC Joseph-Armand Bombardier CGS Master’s Scholarship and of Arts Nova Scotia Research/ Creation grants.