This month we sat down to have a chat with our artist Sophie Rawlingson and ask her a few questions. Through her minimalist graphic lines and bold colours, Sophie is not afraid to ask the questions we try to ignore and offers an acute depiction of our present society. Keep scrolling to get to know the artist behind the work.
What are the three things you take with you on a desert island?
I’d take pens, paper and colouring pencils (very predictable!)
What is your favourite Colour?
I always use purple in my drawings – I guess that’s my favourite colour!
What is your favourite shape?
Stars
What are your favourite studio clothes?
When drawing/ digital drawing I’ll wear anything. When doing embroidery though, I opt for textureless clothes – so the threads don’t rub up!
What is your favourite moment of the day to create?
Morning or evening.
What is your one tip from artist to artist?
Don’t underestimate Youtube and Instagram as a learning resource!
What is the best advice your received?
Only you know what you’re capable of – it’s up to you whether you want to show people or not. Either way you still have talent and value.
What can’t you live without?
I can’t live without pens and paper.
If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
I wonder that a lot. Anywhere by the oceans or the woods. I’m not much of a city person.
What is your favourite book?
My favourite book (series) is either the Ender’s Game saga by Orson Scott Card, or The Southern Reach Trilogy by Jess Vandermeer. #scifi4eva
Where do you get inspiration from when you draw faces?
I usually flip through magazines until I come across a face with one particular facial feature that captures my attention. When drawing a face, I tend to start with the nose and go from there.
Nature is a major theme in your practice – where does your interest for the environment come from?
I suppose I draw whatever I’m surrounded by. In London it’s people and material possessions (because of all the ads), and when in quieter places, you notice nature more.
What message do you want to convey through your work?
I think because of how social media algorithms work, people are very reactive – making work often and about things happening around them. I hope when you look at my work you see the playfulness, but also a stillness – making work at my own pace. I feel like a snail, but the slower living/ creating works well for my peace of mind.
What is the most difficult thing to draw for you?
Bodies are tricky to draw!
Is there one advice you completely ignored?
To always plan ahead. Sometimes it’s nice to go with the flow.
What is the most challenging part of being an artist?
A lot of creative work you see on Instagram etc is made by young people in their spare time – most of us are also working full-time. There’s a lot of pressure to produce large quantities of work. We’re not content producers – we’re artists.
