Sophie McKay-Knight was born in Edinburgh in 1973. She graduated from Edinburgh College of Art and University in 1997, with an MA (Hons) in Fine Art

Sophie McKay-Knight paintings and drawings are mainly a result of observing and recording the every day people around her. She also draws on images from history, theatre and early film stills.

Sophie's art work is based on the representation of the figure and pays particular attention to the spaces that surround people. She is interested in depicting relationships, as well as aloneness or solitude, and aims to capture the changing dynamics in a relationship when one person is added or taken away. McKay-Knight paintings are about recording the energy or aura that surrounds a person, and how that can alter, with or without company.

Sophie McKay-Knight works in a variety of media and places a strong emphasis on drawing techniques. The resultant paintings have brought her a number of art awards. This includes the Scottish arts Club Award presented at the Visual Arts Scotland exhibition at The Royal Scottish Academy in 2005.