Sophie McGrath’s painting practice focuses heavily on the female body in conjunction with themes of femininity, beauty and sexuality which is evident in her body of work. Her work addresses the female in the context of a typical, everyday woman, carrying out routine tasks such as dressing oneself. Her subject is arguably an archetype of female beauty in contemporary society and her paintings initiate an instant dialogue with the viewer which challenges stereotypical representations of female beauty. However, while a perceived social commentary is welcome here the purpose of this particular work is solely to portray the female body as a raw and natural object of beauty and celebration.

Though placed in intimate settings such as the boudoir where the figure appears to exist in a private-personal space, the work is presented to the public with the subject boldly on show for all to admire and appreciate. The delicate garments worn by the figure are included in the paintings to denote a sense of ornamental value and decoration while also hinting at female sexuality & femininity. As this body of work serves to present the female figure as something of an aesthetic decoration, like an art object of its own kind, elements of interior decoration have been incorporated into various paintings through the use of wallpaper design.