@sophiemoates

Instagram: @sophiemoates Tumblr: sophiemoatesdesign.tumblr.com Behance: www.behance.net/sophiemoates  

1. What's your story? Where are you from?

My name is Sophie Moates and I am a collage artist from Norwich, England. Norwich is a vibrant, buzzing city with many art galleries and exhibitions going on which inspires my work.

2. Tell us about your aesthetic.

I create cut and paste collages using magazines, books, newspapers; anything I can get my hands on really! I also create work digitally as sometimes the ideas work better merged in a softer way. I love creating surreal pieces that transport people to other worlds and is almost an escape from the reality of life nowadays.

3. What is your favourite medium and why?

Creating collages by hand is my favourite technique as the process of cutting the images is so enjoyable for me and gives me more freedom and expression while also giving the final piece a beautiful tactile quality, which just can’t be achieved digitally.

4. What is your artistic process like?

I start off with a pile of magazines or books for example and flick through searching for images that spark of ideas and concepts. I imagine how I can mix the images to express certain ideas and messages. Then I cut them out with a scalpel or scissors and start playing around with layout until I find the look I am happy with. Sometimes I start out with a concept already that I want to create and other times I wake up in the middle of the night with an idea and the next day I search through images to find ways to bring the idea to life.

5. Who and/or what inspires your work?

I am inspired by many things, artists and even places. Other artists on Instagram are very inspiring to me such as Sara Shakeel @sarashakeel, Eugenia Loli @eugenia_loli and Joshua Drakes @jrddart. I find places and things around me very inspiring for ideas, sometimes I see a building or landscape and imagine a collage concept from that, I then photograph it and create the idea when I get home, it’s a very fun way to work.

6. What role does art play in your life? How does it change the way you view the world?

I know people say that art is their life etc and it’s a bit cliché but honestly collage art isn’t just work, its something I do for fun and it makes me happy. The imagination and creativity that art brings changes the way you think about things, its made me see things differently and understand that even in a bad situation, when the world is going through a tough time, art can bring happiness and joy and I think that’s a wonderful thing!

7. Where did you study?

I have been a collage artist for many years and I am now in my final year of my Design for Publishing degree at Norwich University of the Arts as I want to go into book cover design.

8. Where do you see yourself in five years? Working in an agency?

I would love to be working at a publishing agency designing book covers, while also creating collages on the side allowing me to do the two things I love.

9. What about in ten?

That’s scary to even think about, hopefully making and creating fun and exciting work. Both in the book cover design world and the collage art world (I also hope to have a very adorable pet dog or rabbit).

10. What do you hope to achieve with your art?

I want to make people smile and create things that people enjoy and makes them feel warm and escape from whatever things they are going through in their lives. I feel like as long as I am always creating when I am at my most inspired and happy, the work will hopefully depict that.

11. Now, tell us a little more about you as a person: what is your favourite food?

Chocolate, chocolate and probably more chocolate. Perfect night in would be a bucket load of chocolate, collage workspace surrounded by magazines, laid out all over the floor while watching my favourite shows on Netflix. (I am a bit of a Netflix junkie, Star Trek, Gilmore Girls, Poldark, Firefly are currently being watched)

12. Favourite book?

To be honest, I am more of a movie person which sounds weird considering I am an aspiring book cover designer but I love to spend each second of my spare time creating art and that I can do while watching, not while reading.

13. Favourite genre of music?

I am a bit of an oldie at heart, I love music that makes me happy and has a nostalgic feel to my childhood, so basically the music my parents used to listen to such as Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra. Favourite song being Dancing in the moonlight by Toploader.

14. What are your hobbies?

I love making zines and artist trading cards which I trade online with other artists. In terms of non-art related hobbies, I am a massive nerd, loving all things Star Wars, Star Trek, Playstation gaming and a lover of TV series such as Supernatural being my main love.

15. If you weren't an artist, what would you be?

When I was younger I went through a lot of dream job phases, from footballer to songwriter to even at one point an estate agent. But I would say I would have been a chocolate taster, that would’ve definitely been a successful job idea.