HOME ABOUT PORTFOLIO TESTIMONIALS CONTACT Sophia Shaheen

Sophia Shaheen

About the Artist

I was born and brought up in London, where I now live. My parents are from Pakistan where my extended family lives, so I visit them a lot and this is the one of the reasons that many of my works are a fusion of Eastern and Western culture. Eastern culture is realised in the used of gold and silver, mirrors and sequins in any medium of work.

My work is original in that it is drawn from my memory of my visits to Pakistan, the Middle East and the Lake District (my favourite place) as well as other parts of Britain. I have infused the bright colours of Pakistan into my landscapes of the British Isles.

I also painted a few Urdu and Arabic alphabets in a painting and in another painting I painted the name Allah in calligraphy style in Arabic and a light in the middle, the light means that his presence is everywhere.

My work often also responds to things that happen in the world such as the tsunami, after which I painted After Tsunami, which was my emotional response to it. Another example is of my two paintings Tom's Garden Before the War and Tom's Garden After the War, after I watched TV news reports from a warzone. Also after the Soham tragedy, I Had a series of work Red Riding Hood, narrating this story in a series of printmaking, a sculpture entitled Girls are Made of Sugar and Spice, a large painting (in oil on canvas cloth; 5 feet by 7 feet) telling the Gothic Story of Red Riding Hood and Scream 2 (in intaglio).

Photo of Me

I also painted Confusion and Dizzy when one university kept on changing their mind about offering me undergraduate course in art.

My work also shows my happy feelings, such as Dance which is from my happy memories of when I was dancing with my family and friends in Pakistan to celebrate my success in my GCSE and also A-Levels.

I also find inspiration from the stunning beauty of nature. Monet, Van Gogh and Mannet were introduced to me during my GCSE, and I found that I was most inspired by Monet; I made a body of work around his Water Lily painting. The final piece for my A-Level was a mobile installation of floating water lilies made through screen printing that hung from the ceiling.

I have been interviewed by Yasmin Qureshi live on PTV Prime, taking calls from viewers while some of my work was shown on television.

Education

HND Fine Art, West Thames College, London, 2003-2005.
Foundation in Art & Design,East London University, 2002-2003.
BTEC National Diploma in Foundation Studies in Art, Westminister Kingsways College, London, 2001-2002.
A-Level, Art, 2000-2001.
NIACAS, 2000-2001.
GNVQ in Health and Social Studies, 2000.
GCSE, Art, 1998-2000.
Technology College, formally Hampstead Comprehensive School, London.
Am currently attending courses in painting, silk painting and mosaics at the Hampstead School of Art.

Pakistani artist Riaz Hussain said "Art is a mirror which shows many reflections, and an artist should not show the same face or, the face becomes the mask". My work is that mirror.

Portfolio

Click on the images to open the galleries in a new tab.
Age of Innocence
Cityscapes
Dance
Glasswork
Golders Hill Park
Installation
Landscapes
Portrait and Figure
Printmaking
Sculpture
Seascape
Textile
Wall Hangings

Testimonials

"Sophia has achieved a great deal since joining the course in November and has produced some highly creative and exciting work. She has an exceptional sensitivity to colour, shape and texture and her approach is uninhibited yet carefully constructed in its composition. Sophia is contextually aware of relevant artists that inspire her work and is often to be found in exhibitions undertaking independent inquiry.
"Her strength and passion for her work is outstanding and the output of works prolific. Her painting is harmonious and expressive and she manipulates materials very well, she enjoys taking risks and experimenting with mixed media."

Sally Milward, tutor and head of art department, Hampstead Comprehensive School, 1999

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"Sophia's natural ability and sensibility to colour are great catalysts in her creative process. She enjoys experimenting by using unconventional materials within her mosaics."

Jackie Mwanza, mosaic tutor, November 2013

"Sophia loses herself in silk painting classes. She likes to be able to enjoy the natural freedom of paint being pushed by water through the silk. Sometimes she has an idea of she wants but when the weave of the silk starts to decide for her she soon adjusts to the movement and works organically allowing the colours to mix and produce all sorts of variations. Her sense of design and style are unique and ability to allow things to happen are accompanied by her infinite patience with people to respond to with awe."

Tony Wigg, silk painting tutor, Hampstead School of Art, January 2014.

"Sophia Shaheen is a naturally gifted artist who has enjoyed painting from a young age, even winning a primary school competition to produce a Christmas card at the tender age of nine. Throughout her life Sophia has tackled all mediums of art from printmaking, sculpture, photography, mosaics, batik and silk painting as well as her favourite, painting. Sophia excels in painting, both oil and acrylic. Her subjects range from life, portrait, abstract, seascape and landscape. Sophia particularly excels in landscape painting; her stunning work is both beautiful and original. Sophia's use of colours is instinctive, drawing from her cultural background for inspiration. Remembered colours from her holidays in Pakistan and the Bollywood movies she so enjoys, shine through her work. Sophia has a memory which locks away ideas as either colours or shapes which she then uses when its needed.
"Sophia has brush strokes which are unique due to supple wrists; this produces work which is highly innovative and particular to her. Sophia was born to be an artist, and I have enjoyed seeing her at work over the many years I have known her."

Ell Connolly, Hampstead School of Art and West Thames College, London, November 2013

"One of the things to appreciate in art is when you can see a distinctive individual behind it. One very clearly sees this in the works that Sophia produces. More importantly her work, in whichever media she uses be it painting, collage or mixed media, has the power to invite you in and take you on a journey to unknown destinations whilst also evoking a wide range of emotions.
"She has an enviable ability to trust her gut feeling. She knows when her work is finished or when it is still in progress. If she does not approve of a suggestion regarding her work she quickly dismisses it and follows her own instincts. I have had the pleasure to follow Sophia's work over the past several years and look forward to remaining a follower."

Ake Arendale, tutor and artist, Hampstead School of Art, November 2013

"Sophia has an amazing energy with colours and is not afraid to take risks; a great student.
"Thanks for the fantastic paintings which will remind me of your happy smile."

Maria Bartolo, art tutor, BTEC National Diploma in Art

"19 year old Sophia is a promising prodigy. Behind her shy facade, there dazzles a simmering cauldron of creative imagination that lends her artwork - displayed at Kingsgate Gallery as a part of an A-Level exhibition - an unambiguous distinction. Her work, a profound mediation on her life and what inspires her creative potential, is at once truly creative and betrays a rare commercial potential."

Salman Asif, art critic, International The News Times (London),2000

"It is a great testimony to Sophia's ability in art that she has achieved so much"

Neil Smith, senior inspector for special educational needs, London Borough of Camden

"Sophia is one of my most gifted students. She has a real talent for design and her compositions show wonderful originality and beauty. Her work has economic potential and I am sure that with support she can make a name for herself as an artist. I am a lucky possessor of one of her prints and I show below a photo of a recently finished piece inspired by Monet. The water lily shapes gently sway in air current over a fabric, also designed by Sophia. The abstract floral design on her water lilies are heightened by the inclusion of tiny mirror fragments. It is quite beautiful....Sophia has gained an A* in Art and a Distinction in her SEG in English."

Dame Tamsyn Imison, headteacher of Technology College (then Hampstead Comprehensive School)

Contact

London, United Kingdom
Mrs Shaheen: 07958493232
sophiashaheen2013@hotmail.co.uk
www.000webhost.com