The story of Sophia Helena Moreira de Oliveira begins at the Colégio Adventista de Jacarepaguá, when at the age of six she demonstrated artistic skills that were different from those of children her age. Her teacher at the time contacted her mother and asked her to invest in this gift. What they didn't imagine was that five years later, Sophia would have the opportunity to exhibit her paintings at the Louvre, in France, the most visited museum in the world.

At just 10 years old, Sophia Helena was selected in an international competition and two of her works will be exhibited at the Louvre Carousel, a space dedicated to new talents. The exhibition will take place in October 2024.

Madureira is a traditional neighborhood in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro and is part of the territory of the Associação Rio Sul (ARS), the administrative headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church for the central-south region of Rio de Janeiro.

The president of the Rio Sul Union, pastor Geovane Souza, was amazed at the little girl's talent. "When we see children discovering their talents and giving them to Jesus, we feel very happy and with a sense of mission accomplished", says Souza, who is rooting for Sophia's success.

Career of the Child Artist

Dolls or electronic games don't attract Sophia's attention as much when it comes to having fun. She really likes to spend hours on end drawing or painting. Her talent was noticed early on by her Pre II teacher, who caught the eye of her mother, Daniele Moreira. "Her teacher was fundamental in this process. She was the one who advised me to invest in Sophia's gift", she explains, excited for her daughter that she will live an experience that will mark her for the rest of her life.

For Sophia, this experience is just the beginning of more achievements that God has for her life. Upon receiving the news that she had passed the selection, she felt a mix of feelings. "At the same time that I was anxious and scared, I became confident. I try to leave all worries about the future in God's hands, because I know that He will direct my life", reports the artist.

At the age of 7, she asked her mother to buy a canvas and, from then on, she discovered herself in the world of paintings. One of her first paintings was the figure of Jesus, which was exhibited at a fair run by the Adventurers' Club, a program for children of the Seventh-day Adventist Church that involves recreational, educational, and spiritual activities.

At the age of 9, she started painting classes in a specialized studio and had her first contact with professional painting using acrylic paint. "On the first day I started a painting, my first painting, called 'The House of Friburgo'. My teacher and the other students were amazed at my talent", she says.

Currently, Sophia often paints landscapes, animals and abstract art with acrylic paint. According to her, she aims to inspire the viewer to have "joy, positive thoughts, interest in art and culture", explains how she likes to impact people with her art. Some of her work has already been exhibited at the Design art gallery and at Aliança Francesa, in Fribourg.

Divine Gift

Raised in an Adventist home, Sophia has always been involved in church activities and, with her gift, can find different ways to show the love of Jesus. "Wherever I am, I can testify to Jesus with my words, my actions, and leaving God first in my life", she explains.

For professor Robledo Moraes, director of the Adventist Education network in the south center of Rio de Janeiro, Adventist Education is committed to instructing students to discover their gift and exercise it in an honorable way. 

"In 2018, I had the opportunity to have a meeting with Dr. Cristina Delou. She is one of the greatest authorities in Brazil when it comes to high skills. She mentioned at the time that it is likely that there will be students with high skills in all schools Some, in a higher percentage, others in a smaller percentage, but they exist", explains Robledo. 

He highlights that "finding these students and providing a way for them to develop is a challenge and Adventist Education is committed to this."

The original article was published on the South American Division Portuguese news site.