ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
KENT ARTIST PROFILE :
SOPHIE M COOK
THOUGH ARTIST SOPHIE M COOK STARTED OUT WITH A CAREER IN FINANCE , SHE IS NOW A SUCCESSFUL AND THRIVING STILL LIFE PAINTER , LETTING THE INCREDIBLE BLOOMS OF KENT INSPIRE AND SHAPE HER WORK . WE SPOKE TO SOPHIE ABOUT NATURE , HER INSPIRATIONS AND HER GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS .
What was it that inspired you to become an artist ?
I have always been surrounded by art as my mum is a painter and so were her parents and grandparents . I studied History of Art and French at university but then went on to work in finance so my pathway into an art career was not linear . I changed tack in 2005 and studied Scenic Art at RADA before going on to work in theatre and television . I developed my art studies further and did a diploma in Classical Drawing and Painting at the London Atelier of Representational Art from 2013-2016 .
Tell us why flowers influence so much of your work ?
Flowers have always been a key player in my art practice because they teach you so much about form , light , colour and texture . These four elements are integral to my work , and flowers force you to address these challenges every time you paint them . I choose flowers and arrangements that I have an emotional connection with which is so important if your goal is to produce paintings with energy and lyricism .
Light and visual language play a big part in your process , can you tell us about that ?
Understanding how light behaves and falls on objects was a core part of my atelier training . Grasping these concepts is important if you work figuratively and want to convey a sense of three-dimensionality in your work . I love how light affects different surfaces and alters the colour temperatures as objects turn in space . The interplay of light and shadow informs the compositional aspects of my still life setups and ultimately creates the dialogue I want my paintings to convey .
Nature and the changing seasons have a profound effect on your art , why is that ?
The change of seasons is important for any artist working from life and observation . Many of my still life setups are completed under natural lighting so variable conditions outside can really impact the light that falls across the setup . Generally , the light in winter is much cooler , resulting in more diffused interior light and warmer shadows . Summer light is warmer and can give much cooler shadows . This was keenly observed by the Impressionist painters , but our understanding of how light works has come on along way since then . The change of seasons is also hugely marked by the availability of flowers and I plan my work schedule around the different bloom periods .
What is your biggest accomplishment as an artist to date ?
Aside from winning an art competition aged 10 for my drawing of the Houses of Parliament , I think my most notable success is selling a painting at Christie ’ s Auction House in 2020 .
Where can we see your work ?
I am represented by Highgate Contemporary Art Gallery in London and I have shown work at the Russell Gallery , Green & Stone of Chelsea and The Goldfinch Gallery in Ticehurst . I am also part of an Art Collective called Floris Fine Art with two other artists , Rosemary Lewis and Tanja Moderscheim . You can find my work on social media @ sophiemcookart or check out my website and shop at www . sophiemcook . com .
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