» Artists & Makers

ARTISTS & MAKERS OF FROME

with Sophia Wormald

What is your artistic background? I’ve always loved working with my hands, whether it’s drawing, carving, or sculpting. I studied Fine Art before moving on to work with Temper Studio where I was trained in woodworking and worked on some great commissions with them. After that, I found myself wanting to go freelance to develop my own line of homeware products and services. I currently have a line of homewares which I design and handmake in my studio in Frome as well as working with clients to style and refinish their homes.

What made you follow this path? I come from a very creative family, with my dad being a sculptor and my mum a creative psychotherapist, there was never a shortage of materials, inspiration, and encouragement in the family. I always knew my work needed to be physical and practical as well as creative and through my training I realised my love of working with natural, raw materials. Working as a freelancer was always the goal, the work of designing and crafting things for people to cherish in their homes is such a lovely and rewarding process.

What is your physical creative process? What materials and techniques do you use? I am predominantly a woodworker but use stone, metals, and textiles also. Lathe work is my favoured process and much of my current work stems from bowl making which I studied through my degree. This is known in many cultures as sacred with the bowl representing woman or womb. My creative process is guided by the material I’m working with. I like to think of my work as an energetic collaboration between maker and material – as I give my energy to the material to form it, so it’s physical form and restraints shape that into the final piece. Meditation was a large part of my life growing up and it has come to be the foundation of my practice. I find working to form natural materials meditative and grounding.

What inspires your work? One thing that inspires my work is the raw material and the potential it holds. Something I really enjoy about woodwork is the slow reveal of the grain and markings which are so unique and give each piece its own character. It’s always a challenge to create something which highlights the natural beauty of the grain without overstating or overcomplicating the design.

Where do you work from? Tell us about your studio. My very shiny, new and exciting studio is in Black Swan Arts –Studio 4, just next to Dan Musselwhite. I am in the middle of setting this up with all my tools and equipment and is going to be not only a place for me to make and sell from, but I am hoping to run demonstrations and small workshops there for anyone who would be interested in learning a little more about woodwork and turning. It is the first time since uni that I have had a space of my own to make from and its incredibly exciting.

What is your favourite place to be for artistic inspiration? Around other makers and crafts people. I love collaboration and working together with others to discuss the design or finish of a job. I have been fortunate enough to be taught by so many insanely skilful artists and crafts people (shoutout to George Winks and Johnny Peel of Temper Studio and Dan Gallally of Frome Hardware) and the thing I have admired most in them is their willingness to share and be generous with their time, knowledge, and equipment.

What artists inspire you, & why? There are so many artists whose work I am completely riveted by. Tehching Hsieh is one, his complete commitment and endurance in his work is astounding. I went to see ‘Lost (and Found)’ whilst at the Venice Biennale a few years back and it completely blew me away. As well as artists I find inspiration in writing and philosophy. A favourite book of mine is ‘Geometrical Psychology’ which is an analysis of papers and drawings on consciousness by Benjamin Betts. Another is ‘Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain’ by Betty Edwards. This book is always a go-to when I’m feeling a little flat creatively and it’s amazing perspective on opening your creative consciousness in a different way is brilliant.

If you hadn’t become an artist, what would you have done? I think if all creative careers were out of bounds, I would have become a psychologist. I studied Psychology at A level and couldn’t get enough of it. I think that’s why a lot of my work is inspired by mindfulness and philosophy – I’m so curious about the mind and its ability to express itself and communicate in all sorts of abstract and creative ways.

How do you find the Frome area, in terms of creativity and artistic community? It’s fantastic. I came to Frome almost by accident as I needed a place to live, and it was a close commute to my job at the time. After spending three years in Cornwall, coming to Frome felt like home with its steep hills and winding cobbled roads. I had no idea at first about its creative and energetic community, but I was so thrilled to discover how supportive and creatively inspiring it is. I have had nothing but support from other creatives and crafts people and that is something I’m so grateful for. Competitiveness has its place in some fields, but I’m a firm believer that in creativity, the only way to develop is to share and be inclusive, and that’s exactly what Frome does.

Are their any artistic processes/disciplines which you haven’t worked in/with, but would like to? So many! I would love to learn weaving and loom work. A friend of mine is a textile artist and weaves the most beautiful pieces. Throwing as well, I have worked with clay a lot for sculpting, but never thrown and it looks such hard but rewarding work. How can people see and buy your work? I sell work from Frome Hardware, Black Swan Arts Shop as well as my own studio space (Studio 4 at Black Swan Arts).

I also have an online shop which includes my whole range of woodwork and textile work and a portfolio of exhibitions.

www.sophiaelouise.com @sophia_elouise Sophia.elouise.art@gmail.com