Sophie Howard

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b. 1957, Bridport, England

‘In 2009, I visited Vietnam. It seems to me that there is a special aesthetic, a uniquely Vietnamese soul to everything in that country, and this I wanted to explore further and bring to my work in sculpture…’

1979 Graduated Winchester Art School

Sophie usually models form in soft materials, often reproducing her own work by casting into clay for firing, into bronze, resin and cast stone. Sophie also creates bold lightweight pieces with willow and found materials, recently making sculptures for festivals.

To make a cast piece, a plaster mould is made from a unique soft clay design. This mould will usually be in two or three parts depending on the complexity of the form. Once the plaster has hardened and the original piece has been taken out, soft damp clay is pressed into the mould. The way this clay is applied marks the surface and varies with each piece. The plaster takes moisture from the clay which then shrinks as it dries. The cast is removed from the mould, and may be marked or stained. After drying each sculpture is fired.

Once fired to terracotta pieces are finished. Methods for making the surface come to life include blackening with smoke and the application of a range of rich dark waxes. These give a subtle depth, and cause each to be different from any other.

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During her stay in Viet Nam, Sophie has visited Lac Hong Gallery and there after developed an fruitful collaboration with Lac Hong and its partner gallery Oc-Eo Art in England.