First of all my name is Sophie, I live in essex with my parents, siblings, boyfriend, 2 dogs, 4 cats, maxi cob, corn snake, crocodile Skink and Leopard Gecko.
Me aged 9
I have been drawing and painting for most of my life, being dyslexic meant that colours and shapes have always made more sense than letters and words.
A shetland, drawn by me aged 7
I managed to pass my GCSEs with better grades than expected and finished 6th form a few years after that. I had never considered going to university but suddenly I was presented with the opportunity to do so.
I experimented in my foundation year with colour, sculpture and paint, having stuck to skin tones and graphite due to shyness during school.
After my foundation year, I got into the university I wanted.
In the first week we were asked to do an art exercise - pull an item out of your bag a create a project based on that item. I pulled out a small perfume. I made a project on the impact of smell on memory and nostalgia. I picked a huge metre canvas and started my first oil painting.
I drew and (partially) painted my first animal in 9 years and loved it.
It was another year before I gained the confidence to draw a horse again. I was a weird kid in school - being horse obsessed and having a learning difficulty that meant I was mildly bullied for a year or two. It was enough to knock my confidence, making me stop my constant equine doodles at the age of 11.
My whole year held an art exhibition just before our graduation. Before the exhibition had even opened to the public all my paintings had sold, it was at that moment that I realised more people than just myself and my family (who might be slightly biased...) like my work.
I graduated in July 2013 with a 2:1 and the rejuvenated love of animals, colours and paint.
I am now making the first few cautious steps towards making a career out of making art.
