In this conversation, Sophie and James explore various themes surrounding creativity, mental health, and the intricacies of artistic processes. They discuss the challenges of festival installations, the joy of music, and the importance of self-care. Sophie shares her experiences with maritime crafts and the significance of work-life balance, while James reflects on the impact of art consumption and the joy of everyday moments. The conversation culminates in insights about learning traditional crafts and the value of shared experiences in understanding oneself.

About Sophie

Sophie Giller is an artist working across sculpture, textiles, painting, and installation. Rooted in process, care, and the emotional life of materials, her practice explores how the things we make and keep reflect who we are. Working intuitively, she creates site-specific installations that respond to their social and historical surroundings while drawing on her own lived experience. Describing her work as exploring the “in-between”, Sophie reflects on the blurred spaces where ideas, emotions, and materials meet. Her work has been shown at the ICA, Saatchi Gallery, and Standpoint Gallery, featured in The Times, World of Interiors, and Time Out, and recognised by Bloomberg New Contemporaries and the Gilbert Bayes Award for Sculpture.

Chapters

• 00:00 Festival Installations and Challenges
• 01:32 Musical Earworms and Processing Sounds
• 02:43 Curiosity in Maritime Crafts
• 03:46 Navigating Work-Life Balance
• 05:19 Self-Care and Mental Health Strategies
• 07:47 The Joy of Cats and Everyday Smiles
• 09:48 Inspiration from Everyday Experiences
• 13:39 The Impact of Art Consumption
• 17:18 Learning Traditional Crafts
• 19:52 Key Takeaways and Reflections