GLOBAL GYPSY
Sophia Khan
Occupation
I’m a traveling Watercolorist who loves finding her muse in enchanting corners of the world which include Paris, Venice, Tuscany, Morocco, Iran, and Andalusia. I paint plein air while I travel, or in my studio, using the landscape of my travel memories. When I am not indulging my wanderlust, the other creative work I pursue is Architectural design.
Adventures
I love looking and feeling beautiful when I travel, however it’s very important for me to keep things simple and travel light. My basics, which I can simply apply in varying intensity from day to evening, are eyeliner, blush and a tinted lip balm or lip tint. These are all also fairly easy to take off at the end of the day. To add a simple touch of luxury into my days abroad and also during flights, I love to carry a small bottle of rose hydrosol and some lavender oil.
Three things that inspire
The varying colors and moods of the sky, a good book (I rarely reread books, but two that I return to often are A Thousand Days in Venice: An Unexpected Romance by Marlena de Blasi and Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh), and any corner of the world whose culture, art, and architecture inspire me to slow down, embrace wonder, and take out my watercolors or notebook.
Spirit animal
While I’ve never thought of myself as having a spirit animal, I do identify with the transformation of the butterfly. I recently read somewhere that one cannot go back into their chrysalis. This resonates with me deeply as I believe life is never static. We are either moving away from our dreams and our higher self, or closer, depending upon what we choose to embrace. The image of the butterfly’s metamorphosis is a beautiful reminder to keep moving towards that higher vision or calling.
Dream destination
I’m an incurable Italophile and have lived in Florence and visited many other Italian towns and cities. However, I have yet to visit my dream destination, which is currently the Amalfi Coast. I know I will find myself there one day and that it will be magical.
Advice you would give your teenage self
Not only is it okay to not have all the answers, it is a far more enriching experience to dwell in the unknown and approach life with curiosity, wonder, and an openness to embrace it’s mysteries. Endless possibilities await when living from this mindset. Also, never underestimate the power that your beliefs have on shaping your experience.
Most-prized souvenir
My collection of beautifully illustrated books on the poetry of Persian poets Hafiz and Saadi, which I found while visiting their mausoleums in Shiraz.
Strangest place you've ever spent the night
The Sassi of Matera, which are a series of striking cave dwellings in the south of Italy. To sleep within one of these caves, knowing that I was inhabiting a place that has evolved over thousands of years was awe inspiring.
Next for Sophia
A continued exploration of living outside my comfort zone and finding the infinite possibilities that always await on the other side of fear.
I travel to...
…awaken those parts of myself that living within familiar surroundings can never reveal.