AW19: Meet Sophie Moates

Our limited edition AW19 collection, Everything Is Everything takes you on a creative journey through the neurological, tactile and psychological properties of colour and craft. From vibrant Venn Diagrams to laser cut swirls mimicking wrought iron gates, to hand-strung odes to Symmography: this isn’t your average statement jewellery and this couldn’t be your average photo shoot. Our Creative Director Harriet took to Instagram to find a creative who could translate our cerebral concept into props like no other.

Enter Sophie Moates, Norwich based freelance collage artist, and curator of seriously covetable collages you’ll be bookmarking in 3, 2, 1… 

HEY SOPHIE, CAN YOU SUM UP WHAT YOU DO IN FIVE WORDS?

Surreal hand-cut collage art.

AND, CUT! FROM PODCASTS TO PLAYLISTS, WHAT DO YOU LISTEN TO INSPIRE YOU? 

I have a playlist of 60s, 70s, 80s feel good music, that makes me want to dance around with happiness. I love to listen to that kind of music while I work. 

SO, HOW DID YOU GET INTO COLLAGE ART AND WHY? 

A tutor I had recommended I try cutting images by hand as I was so used to / comfortable with computer design. I then found my love for the hands-on approach to art, how working with real elements in front of you allows you to create and think in a completely different way. I hardly use the computer at all anymore, I love the rawness of hand-cut images, the textures, and the shadows, it makes for such tactile look to the artwork which I adore.

YOU LENT YOUR HAND TO OUR LIMITED EDITION 'EVERYTHING IS EVERYTHING' COLLECTION. HOW EASY WAS IT TO TRANSLATE OUR SURREAL AND CEREBRAL DESIGNS INTO YOUR TRADEMARK CREATIONS? 

I had an absolute blast working on collage artwork for the collection. Surreal artwork is what I’m used to so my usual style of working blended into the project really nicely.  

WHAT DO YOU PERSONALLY REGARD AS YOUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT? 

Being able to create collage artwork for brands I admire such as Tatty Devine, Adidas, Michael Kors and Adobe. I also run a YouTube channel that has just hit 195,000 subscribers which I am super proud of and really enjoy doing. 

WHO AND WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

I watch a lot of artists who make YouTube videos, showing processes, working on exciting projects and sharing pages from their art journals. I find that seeing other designers' art journals is such a wonderful insight into the brains of a creative human, the mess and mistakes that are made are what I find most inspiring to be honest more than the finished pieces! I’m majorly inspired by nature as clichéd as that sounds, in particular, the beach. Whenever I am needing a brainstorming session, I will go to the beach, sit down with a journal and just being there seems to clear my mind of everything and bring new, fresh ideas. I think the beach is somewhere where there are no distractions and that’s what I love. 

SEE YOU BY THE SHORELINE! OK, LET’S GET SERIOUS: WHICH TATTY DEVINE PIECE IS YOUR FAVOURITE?

I own the Creative Words Necklace and it’s the love of my life. I love wearing it as it perfectly depicts what I do and it’s also a conversation starter, people instantly know you’re into art and creating things which then sparks similar people to have a good chat about it. 

WHICH WOMEN ARE YOU WATCHING RIGHT NOW?

I am obsessed with Zendaya, her style, personality and her new show Euphoria is a freaking masterpiece. I am always in awe of the YouTuber and artist CatCreature she works on a lot of sketchbooks, journals and textiles work and I just find her videos to be so creative and I’m always excited to see what she’s working on next! 

Thanks Sophie! Follow Sophie’s adventures as an ASMR superstar over on her Youtube here, her collaged creations here and online store right here. Semantics, synapse, syntax, salience... Take inspiration from the inherent connections that interlink all interests, obsessions and curiosities with our AW19 Everything Is Everything collection here.

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