Sophie Frolich

Sophie Frohlich (b. 1998) makes comics, digital illustrations, and acrylic paintings about growing up on the internet. Her work explores niche online subcultures and the way our relationships are mediated by technology, all with an absurd touch. “I like to draw cute things, but that might veer off into darker things,” she says. Her current comic series follows a manga-fied version of herself and a dragon humanoid character named Shmud. The characters navigate dead-end jobs and emotional instability; they philosophize, flirt, and make weird jokes - usually in front of their monitors.

Frohlich first cut her teeth as a storyteller through the riotous world of fanart. Fandoms exposed her to new art styles and a language to connect with an imaginative community. In her own work, Frohlich draws from fanart’s penchant for world-building. She’s also inspired by how the practice of “shipping” - unofficial couplings of fictional characters- creates a site to explore romance and interpersonal dynamics. 

Frohlich recently graduated from Moraine Valley Community College and is now focusing on expanding her narrative universe. She lives in Palos Hills with her family. Her sister, Gwendolyn, is also an artist at Project Onward.