Sophia Hart: PAINTING FROM LIFE
“My artwork is my love letter to our planet and the multitudes it contains”
2022 Artist-in-Residence at Flathead Lake Biological Station
Sophia's Yellow Bay plein air painting at FLBS
How was your experience as an Open AIR Artist-in-Residence?
Being an Artist-in-Residence at Flathead Lake Biological Station through Open AIR was incredible, inspiring, and transformative for my professional artistic life and for my personal life. This residency was the first one I was able to do post-Covid pandemic, and it re-invigorated my practice as an artist and my love for my craft. I was fortunate to have a cohort of three other artists with me at the biological station, which allowed us to bounce ideas off each other, learn from each other’s practices, and support each other through our time at the biological station. Many of the projects I started while in residence were directly influenced by the time I spent learning from the professionals at the station, and I am eternally grateful they took the time to educate myself and the other artists about the importance and significance of the region. I am so thankful for the opportunity I had to be immersed in a beautiful environment which stoked the fire of my curiosity and my passion for learning.
FLBS beach plein air painting by Sophia
What was your research process during this time?
My research process included a lot of outdoor exploration, spending time with the professionals at the biological station, and spending time with my fellow artists. One of my passions is painting ‘en plein air’, which is a French term for “painting from life”. I enjoy this process because it allows me to capture the environment through my eyes, as if it were frozen in time. I did 31 of these paintings at different locations on the biological station, and some in the surrounding areas. This allowed me the time to really appreciate and enjoy my surroundings. I also spent time directly learning from employees of the biological station, in addition to consuming as much of the educational information that we were given throughout our time there. I took my sketchbook with me nearly everywhere we went, and filled it with countless notes and small quick sketches to capture what I was learning and inspired by. These various topics and interesting facts about the biological station and its history directly influenced larger paintings that I began while in residence. I’m also a person who takes countless photographs to use as reference, and during my time in Montana I took thousands of photos of various subjects.
Field sketching on the boat with Sophia and the FLBS Scientists
What are you up to now (post Open AIR)?
Since completing my residency I have started a new job as a K-5 Art Teacher at an after school art program! While in residence I taught my first workshop, which prompted me to consider becoming an educator. My favorite aspect of this new job is getting to share my love of art with the students and inspiring our next generation of creatives. Outside of teaching, I am continuing to work on several watercolor paintings I started during my residency, and a few freelance projects for clients. I am also currently participating in The 100 Day Project and sharing that process on my Instagram page.
Sophia working on artwork at FLBS
How would you describe your work?
My work is often based in our natural world, education, and Natural Science Illustration. I love to portray things that fascinate and interest me, with the hope that my audience will also enjoy the subject matter and learn something from it. With many of my watercolor natural science illustrations I love to use countless layers to highlight the intricacies of nature and how beautiful they are. With my gouache and plein air paintings, I focus on capturing my environment and appreciating my surroundings through art. My artwork is my love letter to our planet and the multitudes it contains.
Sophia working on illustrations
What keeps you returning to this subject, body of work?
I find myself returning to the subject of Natural Science Illustration and our natural world because I am continuously fascinated by it. I love learning about the way ecosystems work, how to preserve them, and how every little thing in our world can have an effect on each other. I love to find beauty in all aspects of nature and am continuously curious about different natural sciences, which creates the desire to portray that in my artwork. I hope that through my artwork I can inspire others to care for and preserve our planet and our beautiful surroundings.
Bone Yard plein air painting by Sophia at FLBS
Have your material choices changed over the years?
Absolutely! I have worked with a range of media throughout my time as an artist, and I believe this stems from a desire to learn and experience new things. I love getting the opportunity to explore new media and learn new techniques. I have worked with materials from graphite to pen and ink, paint, colored pencil, ceramics, and many other mediums in between. While exploring new materials I often find myself coming back to painting as a home base. Even when I was primarily working in clay and 3D, I always found a way to incorporate painting. I think this is the medium that makes the most sense in my brain, as I often see the world through a painting lens. Currently, I love working with gouache and watercolor.
Sophia working on plein air painting while hiking
To learn more about Sophia, check out her Instagram @hartillustrations7 and visit her website www.sophiahart.com
