Artist of the Week - Sophia Burns

Sophia Burns is based in Edinburgh and produces figurative paintings. She will be exhibiting at the Brighton Art Fair.

Where did you train? What did training teach you and what do you wish it had taught you?

I trained in Aix-en -Provence  Art School from 1990 to1995. It taught me the wonders of creation and how to work with space mainly in installation and abstraction, but I wish they had taught me a little earlier the realities of the art world.

Is being an artist your only job?
Being an artist has been my main job for the last year, I normally give painting classes and workshops in France and the UK.

One favourite living artist.

It would be Peter Doig I always get a terrific visual buzz when I see his work. His render of subject has been an inspiration for the past five years.

One favourite historical artist.

I’ve been rediscovering how contemporary Gustav Klimt still is, his paintings of trees made of thousands of multicolored brushstrokes are breathtaking and of course his depiction of women…..he mastered that very fine line between abstraction and subject that fascinates me.

What is the most interesting / fun job you have had?
Giving workshops in the south of France and Morocco. For sharing a passion for creation in amazing landscapes

If you could collaborate with anyone living or dead, who would it be and what would you do?
I would collaborate with a musician such as Meredith Monk and paint from sound.

At age 16 who most influenced your style?

Camille Claudel, a french sculptor, her life and work was an inspiration as I realised that art could be a way of life.

Last book / film that blew your mind?

‘As I lay Dying’ by William Faulkner . ‘Synecdoche’ New York by Charlie Kaufman.

What music are you currently listening to?
Electronic Music by Pantha du Prince, Pitch Black and Brendon Moeller

How many hours do you waste on the internet each day?

Too many but a minimum of 2 hours

If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?

Right now, I’d try the Black Isle in Scotland, I have just discovered it’s amazing scenery, people and wildlife. It could be a fantastic area to spend sometime painting while I live in Scotland.

Where and what is your studio?

This is my second year at the Arts Complex in Edinburgh. It’s a large studio with a store room with perfect north light, being in an art center offers me the possibility to network and interact with young and older artists.

Do you have a good work/life balance?

The past two years have been very stressful with fairs and exhibitions in France and the UK, I’m hoping to reduce stress and spend more time in contemplation.

What one word would describe your feeling of doing your work?
Freedom

What would your dream commission be?

Working with dancers and acrobats to prepare a new collection of large scale paintings about body and space.

If you could exhibit in any gallery in the world which would it be?

David Nolan - NewYork