“Fine Art gives you the freedom and flexibility to use any and every material to convey anything that interest you.”
Please tell us a bit about your work and your influences.
“Sophie Shribman-Hollings is a multi-disciplinary artist, specialising in installation sculpture and print. Throughout her practice, Sophie experiments with curation and installation, considering both sensory qualities and scale. The formal qualities of pattern, shape and light combine with carefully chosen material processes to create visually striking works. Inspired by environmental art, she seeks to convey the interconnectedness between humanity and nature, embracing transience and the unpredictable aspects of life.
“Dancing in the Moonlight is composed of three suspended stained-glass panels, which are illuminated, casting abstract shapes and colours onto the wall behind. The audience is encouraged to engage with the sculptural installation by moving through and around the work. The title draws reference to the popular song Dancing in the Moonlight, originally written by Sherman Kelly. The song is about a near death experience as he ‘envisions an alternate reality’. This artwork is a personal exploration of grief, as Sophie seeks to celebrate life, marking how beautiful and fleeting it is.
“Glass and light are at the centre of Sophie’s practice. These material qualities consciously reflect conceptual explorations of the human condition, including fragility and impermanence. Sophie’s stained glass installations emphasise the delicacy of temporary moments where light and glass combine to transform architectural spaces. The transparency of glass encourages for a dynamic relationship between light, space, and the viewer. The artwork embodies an unpredictable life of its own as it transforms during the production, highlighting the joint importance of the creating process and outcome.
“Sophie draws upon the traditional process of stained glass, playing with ecclesiastical imagery within a contemporary context. The design for Dancing in the Moonlight can be described as abstract, inspired by nature, landscapes and the transitionary period as the day becomes night.”
What made you choose your course?
“Before I applied to Brighton I was doing an art foundation diploma. During my foundation year ,I discovered that I enjoyed to work with a wide range of materials and explore different ways to explore themes and ideas. Fine Art gives you the freedom and flexibility to use any and every material to convey anything that interest you.”
Can you tell us about your favourite part of your studies and how it helped the development of you and your practice.
“Preparing for the public degree show has been an enjoyable way to gain experience for becoming employed within an art institution. We are a part of the entire process learning how to create a public exhibition, from the curation to installation. There is opportunity for students to volunteer to help the organisation of the show. As a part of this self-lead group we have held fundraisers, made a catalogue and marketed the event.”
Can you tell us about any staff who particularly inspired you?
“I have found that the art technicians play a vital role in the running of the course, in particular they organise the installation and deinstallation of exhibitions, have workshops introducing you to new ways of making and of exhibitions and provide support to help you materialise your ideas.
“The workshop manager, Helen Stuart has particularly inspired me with how she has managed so many roles and responsibilities at once. Despite how in demand she is, she always finds time for people. Nobody had done stained glass on the course before, however she spent time to support me researching stained glass, fill out risk assessments, order the tools and support me making it.”
Follow Sophie on Instagram @sophie.ella.art
Find out about studying Fine Art Painting at Brighton.
