www.recyclart.org/2015/10/recycled-art-interview-2-sophie…
We continue our series of posts interviewing "recycled art" crafters & artists. This week, we interviewed Sophie Marsham, a well-known sculptor in the community of Recycled Art. If you think you deserve to be featured in the next interview, please, drop us an email.
Tell us a little more about you? Who you are? Where are you from?
I am Sophie Marsham, a sculptor, from London, working in reclaimed and found objects.
How did you become a "Recycled Art" artist?
I became a recycled art artist 25 years ago when I was at Chelsea Art School.
Since when are you working with recycled & upcycled materials and more general since when are you in the world of "Recycled Art"?
I partly used reclaimed materials in the beginning as it was a cheap resource as a student.
What are your can’t-live-without essentials?
My can’t live with essentials are wire, glue, nuts and bolts and tools.
How would you describe your style? Are there any crafters/artists/designers that you particularly look up to?
I make thought provoking, often humorous pieces from found objects. I love Joseph Cornell, Cornelia Parker, Haroshi and Kendra Haste.
How is your workspace, how do you make it inspiring?
My workspace is in the garden and full of inspiring objects, clock faces, springs, beads, glass, printing blocks, old tools, chocolate moulds etc…
What sorts of things are inspiring you right now? Where do you look for inspiration?
I am inspired by objects that I find in vintage fairs/carboot sales, especially if it’s multiples of the same object, such as pen nibs, clock hands, teddy bear eyes… I am mostly inspired by nature, repeated patterns found in nature, bird feathers, snowflakes, shells, stones…
When do you feel the most creative?
I feel pretty creative all the time, as I’m constantly finding new objects to inspire me.
We live in such a mass-produced, buy-it-now society. Why should people continue to make things by hand?
Making things by hand is the most rewarding and making one off art from something that has been previously used and discarded is the most exciting aspect of the work. I love it when the viewer works out what has been used for a certain sculpture, I love the intrigue. I believe in breathing new life into discarded objects.
What is your favorite medium to work in?
I mainly work in metal but also use wood, glass, resin…
What is your guilty pleasure?
My guilty pleasure is good coffee and great cake.
What is your favorite thing to do (other than crafting)?
My favourite thing apart from art is art house independent films. I would love one day to make an animation film with some of my objects.
You have been involved in a lot of artistic projects, are you a full-time artist or is it just a hobby?
I am a full time artist, it’s not a hobby and have been working for 22 years. I make tiny hand held pieces and have made many large scale installations up to 6 meters. I love to vary the scale.
Any websites that our readers should not miss?
Not a website to recommend as such, apart from my own of course www.sophiemarsham.com, but a great book called RAW + MATERIAL = ART.
Anything else you would like to tell to the « recycling community »?
Keep up with recycling, it will become even more vital for our kids and their kids.
Thanks a lot Sophie for this interview! 🙂
To see all the posts by Sophie, it’s here.
