About

I am passionate about working with natural material. I work in local wood and aim to make more visible the beauty that is around us and also already naturally present in my material.

photo of Philippine Sowerby

My work has developed to become more abstract and more expressive of my emotional and spiritual responses, revealing and revelling in the wood - its structure, texture and colours.

Philippine Sowerby has been sculpting and making jigsaw puzzles since 2002.

Philippine is passionate about working with natural material. She works in local hard wood from Powys and aims to make more visible the beauty that is around us and also already naturally present in the material.

Philippine celebrates nature’s irregularity and tries to reach a balance between her process and material, revealing and revelling in the wood, its structure, texture and colours. Often the imperfection in the wood requires her to reconsider the design of her imagination, and the making is a constant dialogue between her and her piece, seeing, judging and acting. She is fascinated by this process and delights in it.

Her work often has a dynamic aspect where the observer can move the multiple pieces, creating new relationships, forming new arrangements, light and shadow. It is an invitation to engage not only visually but also physically, to participate in the creative process.

The end of all this exploring is to see in a new arrangement or a new light what was already there.

My recurring themes are contrast, darkness and light, interior and exterior, depths and shadows, rough and smooth, evolving through a continuing dialogue between me and the material.

Philippine Sowerby

Working as an Artist in Wood since 2001

  • Selected to join the Makers Guild in Wales, 2002.
  • Shortlisted for Beacons Way Art Project, Brecknock Museum Art Trust, 2005.
  • Shortlisted for Welsh Artist of the Year, 2007.
  • First public art work, Oxford, 2011.
  • Selected to join The Welsh Group - Y Grwp Cymreig 2014
  • Founder member of the Usk Valley Artists Cooperative - Tower Gallery 2014

EXHIBITING AND SELLING

  • Exhibiting and selling in an increasing range of art galleries in the UK and abroad including the Makers Guild in Wales, Cardiff, the Washington Gallery, Penarth, The Art Shop, Abergavenny, Oriel Pen y Fan, Brecon, Primavera, Cambridge, Quest Gallery, Bath, Bowie Gallery, Hay on Wye.
  • Participating annually in shows, including Art in Action, Waterperry, (2009-2010), The Contemporary Craft Festival, Bovey Tracey (2008, 2009), OXO Tower-London (2004 to 2006, 2011), Crickhowell Art Trail (2010, 2011, 2013).
  • Private commissions (6 commissions,  2008 - 2012).
  • Tower Gallery - Oriel Twr : Usk Valley Artist’s Co-operative since 2014

Exhibitions

  • 2010 - A Walk in the Wood, featured artist, Crickhowell.
  • 2010 - Devon Guild of Craftsmen, national exhibition of artists in wood.
  • 2011 - Between Darkness and Light. Joint exhibition with Mark Cazalet, St Giles’ Church Oxford.
  • 2012 - Oriel 2 Exhibition - Solo exhibition, Craft in The Bay.
  • 2014 - Here and There. The Welsh Group art exhibition in partnership with German group BBK. Mid Wales Art Centre, Caersws, Wales.
  • 2015 - Here and There, The Welsh Group art exhibition in partnership with German group BBK. QQTec e.V. Hilden, Dusseldorf, Germany.
  • 2015 - Solo exhibition September/October. Tower Gallery, Crickhowell, Powys
  • 2016 - Mixed Matter, The Welsh Group art exhibition. The Ceri Richards Gallery, Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea University, Wales.
  • 2016 - Changing Nature, solo exhibition . Tower Gallery, Crickhowell, Powys
  • 2016 - Myriad Perspectives, The Welsh Group art exhibition. Cyfarthfa Castle Art Gallery and Museum, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales.
  • 2017 - The Welsh Group art exhibition. Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales.
  • 2017 - Rare Visions, The Welsh Group art exhibition.  LLantarnham Grange Arts Centre, Cwmbran, Wales.