Sopee Soo

I'm from Thailand, from Bangkok. I first came to Australia to study English when I was about 25. I was still a student studying Human Resources and I came for a summer course in the Manly area.

A friend in Sydney who had Thai Restaurants asked if I was interested in coming and doing study, I could work with him and I did a Diploma in Business through Bridge Business College.

My friend from Thailand wanted to come and study English as well and so she asked me to find her somewhere to stay. I went to the real estate agent in Newtown and that's when I met my husband Rodney.

We moved to Orange in about 2000, because Rodney's dad wanted us to run Andy's Coffee Lounge.

We opened the Cheeky Barista Cafe probably 8 years ago.

I love painting. When I was little I liked drawing and sketching and when I came to Orange my neighbour taught me how to use oil paints and from that time I taught myself and just started painting a lot.

You have inspiration and you want to get it out from your head and you have to start putting it on the canvas. If I go away somewhere, I always take a lot of photos to reference for painting. 

Doing art makes you feel relaxed and are focused on what you are doing. It makes me feel happy.