QUALIFICATIONS AND AWARDS

2017-18
London Fine Art Studios
Awarded the De László scholarship

2018
Awarded a scholarship place on Michelle Dunaway’s course at Rosemary Brushes

2013-16
Edinburgh College of Art BA Hons Fine Art (Painting) First Class

2012-13
University College Falmouth Foundation diploma in Art and Design Distinction

Sophia Burnell

Everyday life is a constant source of inspiration, and the documentation of it makes up Sophia’s practice. Whether painting the people around her, or the landscapes or scenes around her home, she is always discovering new compositions. There are always moments of beauty to be found in everyday life. Painting from life is crucial to Sophia’s practice. It is the best way to truly capture the landscape or the sitter before her. When painting en plein air, often in very disagreeable conditions, she is able to get a true sense of the landscape down on the canvas. Capturing the light as it changes is an exciting challenge, whether it is a stormy scene or the clear light of a crisp winter morning. Sophia is often drawn to rolling hills in the countryside or beach scenes and seascapes; however, her body of work is continually evolving to include new subjects. For portraits, Sophia finds that the only way to show the essence of the sitters’ character is to paint them from life, usually over a few sittings. Their features relax, and their characteristics then come out over time. Sophia uses a limited palette for portraits. The Zorn palette, comprising of titanium white, yellow ochre, cadmium red and ivory black, inspired by Anders Zorn. She is particularly inspired by the work of Zorn, as well as Sargent and Sorolla. The combination of landscape and portrait painting is an exciting part of Sophia’s practice, whilst quite different, one subject informs the other. They both revolve around capturing fleeting moments, transforming a movable, mutating scene into a painting is both the challenge and the reward.

EXHIBITIONS
2020
Green and Stone Summer Exhibition Green and Stone, London
2019
Alresford Arts Festival The Grange, Alresford
2018
De László Scholarship Exhibition London Fine Art Studios
2016
Best of Degree Show 2016 Six Foot Gallery, Glasgow
Flux Whitespace Gallery, Edinburgh
Asbestos Rest Stop Edinburgh College of Art
Salonathon Embassy Gallery, Edinburgh
ESAF City Hall, Edinburgh
HATCH The Caves, Edinburgh