Interview: Sophie Barras

Hi Sophie Barras! Thanks for agreeing to be interviewed by Feminist Create. Can you tell us something about your daily life at the moment? 

Hi.. Well daily life is a mix up of trying to keep up as a mother, IT geek, artist and person trying to make sense of the world.. but mostly its a big mix of all those personal commitments and responsibilities.. I prefer some roles more than others, but mum time is the daily common factor.. Work and creativity are always in there somewhere

Does creativity get to be part of your daily life?

Sure - I have my day job as an IT Techie / Systems Analyst, so coming home or to the studio to switch off always involves a pencil and paper, a print in process or a paintbrush. I do creative work for design jobs or for my own portfolio or shop space, in my evenings and weekends

What do you love about what you create?

I love the process of print making, from the initial doodle, through to the layout, the screen processing and the eventual impressing of the image onto the paper, or fabric. I love working with paint, pushing myself to try new ways of working and experiments, but I also love being able to slowly work with an image or an idea, in a way that is totally different from the way I need to consider building up IT systems in a logical and useful way.. Too much logic makes Soph a dull girl

Where or how did you learn you creative practices?

I went to Dudley College of Technology, then to Bournville Art College (Birmingham) after school, but took a 15 year break from creating visual arts whilst my daughter was younger.. She's now much more independent at 17 years old and has been studying Textiles and Art at School and now A-Level so she's used to me making stuff around her and has chosen to find her own way of working.I've also taken a few adult education courses to refresh my screen printing and studied Photography at Ffotogallery (Cardiff). Aside from the classroom based stuff I think that more is learnt from the physical doing, trying and practising of the actual creation of items, which brings about true progression in creative works. I am lucky to have a partner who is also an artist, who's very honest with me and my work, helpful but allows me to make my own mistakes.

You will only get better if you keep doing.. I'm still learning.. Some days I make things I'm pleased with, but other days my work truely sucks - Ensuring the ego is kept in check and that you stay critical of your own strengths and weaknesses is essential, to ensure you keep progressing at your style

When did feminism come to be a part of your life?

I dont think I initially saw it as Feminism, but the idea of strong women, promoting womens rights and their ability to play the game in the same way or work in the same environments as their male counterparts, had always appealed to me. Not to be better than men, not to put men down or point out personal flaws, purely based on gender, but to be able to live, work and enjoy life with the same choices as men. I grew up in a close relationship with my brother and always wanted to be able to do the same things he could. As I grew up and found myself pregnant and on my own, differences in responsibilities between men and women started to hit home a little more.. It opened my eyes to the choices for women around the world and within our own communities, as I spent more time with support groups that helped to retrain me and get me back on my feet.

How would you describe how creativity and Feminism combine for you?

Ummmm... I don't think it's as a conscious or proactive step but I used to write songs that directly dealt with my feelings as a young woman, dealing with life.. These days I guess I choose pens, pencils and paint to discuss that, or share feelings

I think it's fair to say though, that most people who know me will also know I'm unwilling to be represented or marketed in a way that I feel is detrimental to women.. I have my own ethics and a teenage daughter to consider when making decisions on routes to take and projects to get involved with.

I'd love to hear about something you are really excited about and pleased about you and your life at the moment?

Another Ummmmm... Well yeah I have been lucky to have been supported for the past few months by the Dark Mavis stall in Cardiff Fashion Quarter, so I now have a physical store selling my clothes and prints.. I've just done a series of illustrations for a production of Romeo and Juliet showing at the Crescent Theatre in Birmingham and have some great projects coming up, so yeah it's looking ok at the moment!