Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sophie-anne Vachon. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Sophie-Anne thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you tell us about a time that your work has been misunderstood? Why do you think it happened and did any interesting insights emerge from the experience?

For a long time, I felt like the people around me had no idea what I did for a living. They would always mention what I used to be (a teacher) or talk about me in relation to other people (like my husband who’s a magician I sometimes work with), but I never felt seen.

I finally realized that labelling myself is MY job. So now, whenever I meet new people, I say : “Hi, I’m Sophie-Anne, I’m an art director and illustrator. I work mostly with magicians and other creatives. I’m also a painter”.

It might sound like a lot, but I AM a lot and shouldn’t be afraid to share what I do. I’m proud to be able to do a lot of different things. They are related, sure, but what sounds obvious to me might not be easily understood by others.

This is especially true of people who are not creatives. They might not know what creative professionals do, but they might benefit from their services. I’ve taken it upon myself to educate my clients and those around me. So, by talking about what I do, I demystify the creative process and how it can serve anybody in any field. It helps me, for sure, but it’s just good advertisement for artists in general. I believe in a world where art is valued.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Sophie-Anne, I’m an Art Director, illustrator and Painter.

I design custom visual universes for the entertainment industry and work with magicians and other creatives. Basically, I create posters, stage design, illustrations and other visual tools for entertainers. I’m located in Montreal but I work with entertainers from all over the globe. It’s very rewarding to see my drawings in books that have been published in Paris, but also see my design work pop up online when a magician does a show in California, for example. I love teaming up with an entertainer or a group of people and bringing a sense of cohesion to a project by developing the visual guidelines. It helps to steer everybody in the same direction and saves a lot of time for everybody to have an art director on board from the get go. I provide a beacon for the whole show/project/book to go back to during the creative process. I love it and it is very fulfilling.

I have been involved in the magic community as a technical illustrator, prop builder and co-editor of a magic magazine called Conundrum.

I have a background in teaching and visual arts, which has also led me to work with entertainers who produce family and school assembly shows. I build educational guides for them. I also offer workshops in schools, in addition to writing and illustrating children’s books.

I’m also an abstract painter. Color fuels me so I make time to paint most days and this keeps the creative juices flowing.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Making stuff with my hands.

I’m a firm believer that you need to create in order to feel energized. Life has become too much about consuming : buying, streaming, scrolling are all forms of consumption. Don’t get me wrong, I love TV, social media and shopping, but not all the time.

For life to make sense, you need balance between creating and consuming. So I make sure to always create more than I consume. Creating can take many forms and doesn’t have to be intense. Sure, you can join a theatre group, learn to play the guitar or do oil painting, but you can also cook something simple, write in your journal, play a board game, knit a scarf, go for walk…

It’s become a ritual in our family. At the end of the day, my husband and I ask our girls to see if they’ve been creative and they love sharing their endeavours. It’s a great way to check in with them and see how they are faring.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

You don’t have to choose just one thing.

I’m an art director.
I’m an illustrator.
I’m a painter.
I’m also a pedagogical consultant for artists.

I have many hats and that is fine. In fact, it helps balance my professional life. Sometimes, one area might need more attention and that keeps things interesting. When I come back to the other part of the work, I have a whole new set of eyes, as well as renewed energy,

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sophieannevachon.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophieannevachonart
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophieanne.vachon

Image Credits

© Sophie-Anne Vachon 2025