At the early age of 24 Sophie was spotted by the Royal Watercolour Society and invited to become an associate member. She also won her first large painting award “the Hunting Group Young Person’s Award” for her large canvass, this time in oil.
Since completing her postgraduate diploma at the Royal Academy of Art in 1989, Sophie has had numerous exhibitions in London and touring shows in Spain, the USA and Canada.
In 1999 she received a prestigious commission to paint six watercolours which are now housed permanently in the House of Lords. She was pleased to recently discover she also has a painting hung in the Prime Minister’s chamber. Sophie also worked on location inside the Palace of Westminster producing two large watercolours of its interior, now hung in the new parliamentary building. She has been collected by numerous private collectors and has work in the British Museum (The Royal Watercolour Society Archives), the TSB Bank (The City), and several corporate collections, including Pilkingtons and Freshfields Solicitors.
Sophie's Method
I mainly work in situ, directly from the landscape/cityscape. I also produce larger scale works, in a more reflective manner, in my studio in London.
I work very physically, often in awkward locations such as perched on the edge of a waterfall or surrounded by commuters at a station. This experience and the struggle to record the ever-changing light, colour and weather of my subject all becomes an integral part of its final appearance.
Working quickly, I drench the paper with water and pigment keeping the composition constantly on the move, pushing the paint around until I am happy with the final image. I aim to retain those first moments of visual excitement I feel when truly looking.
My paintings are an amalgamation of experiences. The noise, smell and visual impact of the city and landscape all transmit themselves through the energetic marks and texture I create while working.
My work is not anchored to any topographical imperative, I use visual stimulus only as a vehicle from which to convey a more personal vision in which mystery, mood and suggestion play a large role.
Recent Events
| 2018 | Exhibiting at The Hong Kong Art Fair with The Siger Gallery (this May) |
| 2017 | Demonstrated my watercolour techniques for Windsor & Newton launch of their new paper at Bankside Gallery |
| 2017 | Secret post card sale ( donated small painting) Bankside Gallery, London |
| 2017 | Interviewed Live on “London Live” , to discuss my work and “London a Sense of Place” Exhibition |
| 2015 | As part of the Queens 90th Birthday Celebration, Ran two day watercolour workshop at Buckingham Palace, and the Palace Gardens. |
| 2015 | Demonstrated Watercolour painting at The Millegan Showrooms as part of Art and Design Week, Clerkenwell |
Solo Shows
| 2017 | The Jane Newbury Gallery, Dulwich Village |
| 2013 and 2010 | The Bircham Gallery, Holt Norfolk |
| 2006 | Gallery 47, Holborn , London |
| 1998 | The Unicorn Gallery, South Kensington, London |
| 1998 | Selected Artist at Bankside Gallery |
| 1996 | Gallery 47, Holborn London |
| 1993 | Waterman Fine Art, Piccadilly, London |
| 1991 | Cadogan Contemporaray, South Kensington, London |
Selected Group Shows
| 2018 | “Equinox” The Felix and Spear Gallery, Ealing London |
| 1989 – 2018 | Several group shows a year , The Royal Watercolour Society, Bankside Gallery, London |
| 2017 | “ Clash” The Siger Gallery , Marylebone, London |
| 2016 | The Jane Newbury Gallery, Dulwich Village |
| 2016 | Drawing and works on paper , The Lovely Gallery, London |
| 2012 | “ Circus” The London Group Open , Hoxton , London |
| 2010 & 2008 | The Bircham Gallery, Holt, Norfolk |
| 2008 | The Watercolour and Drawing Fair, The Museum of Mankind, London |
| 2006 | The Sunday Times Watercolour Competition, The Mall Galleries, London |
| 2004 | The Sunday Times Watercolour Competition, The Mall Galleries, London |
| - | The Affordable Art Fair, Battersea, London |
| 2003 | The Drawing and Watercolour Fair, The Royal Academy of Art, London |
| 1993 | The Reutlingnen Gallery, Germany |
| 1991 | Touring exhibition, U.S.A and Canada, The R.W.S |
| 1992 | The New Collection of contemporary paintings, The New Parliamentary Building |
| 1992 | Long & Ryle, London. Two Person exhibition |
| 1992 & 1989 | The Summer Exhibition, The Royal Academy. |
| 1990 | The Olympia Art Fair, London |
| - | Gallery International, The R.W.S in Chicago |
| - | Bonhams London, Contemporary Painting Auction |
| 1989 | The Hunting Group Exhibition, The Mall Galleries. |
Awards
| 1990 | The Hunting Group Young Person award for painting, The Mall Galleries |
| 1989 | The Eric Kennington Prize for the encouragement of Good Drawing |
| 1989 | The Royal Watercolour Society Award Scheme |
| 1989 | Selected for “ The Big Picture Chase” interview on the BBC |
| 1988 | The David Murray Scholarship for Landscape |
| 1987 | The Fred Elwell Prize for Still Life |
| 1986 | The Ian Tregarthen Jenkin Award for Drawing |
Education
| 1986-1989 | R. A (Dip) The Royal Academy Schools |
| 1983-1986 | B.A ( Hons) Fine Art – Camberwell School of Art |
| 1982-1983 | Hertfordshire College of Art & Design |
Permanent Collections
- The House of Lords, London
- The New Parliamentary Buiding, London
- The British Museum (permanent RWS collection)
- TSB Bank, The City
- Pilkington International
- Koran/Ferry International
- Freshfield Solictors
Hardback Publications
- 2017 Watercolour Secrets, The R.W.S
- 2015 The Watercolour Expert, The R.W.S
- 2012 Watercolour Masters , Now and Then, The R.W.S
- 2001 Collins Artist Manual