Rising Stars: Meet Sophie Horsman

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sophie Horsman.

Hi Sophie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I am originally from the Lake District in Northern England. At 16, I went to Nepal as part of a school program to teach kids English and Art. For this trip, we had to write an essay on why it is important to learn about different cultures, we had to fundraise the funds to go, lesson plan weeks of teaching for multiple ages, and on the day, we left we were asked to leave our phones at home.

Even back in 2013, our phones were glued to us but I loved it. I used my camera to document my travels to show my family when I returned home. My camera became my pen and paper and my way to tell the story of the incredible people and places I saw. I had already been studying photography at high school but this was the first time I saw my path behind the lens develop. From there, I was one of two children in my high school to represent my area and become a Lessons from Auschwitz Ambassador based on my photography work.

I attended lectures and met a survivor named Ziggy before being flown to Auschwitz and Birkenau to further document my education and the site with my camera. When I returned, as part of the program I gave a lecture to my school and others on the dangers of prejudice and how we need to remember the atrocities and personalize the horrors to stop it from happening again. Again, I was 16 when this happened. Through these trips, I learned that marrying my two passions – people and photography was going to be my future. I studied photography at the Manchester School of Art – winning an award for my work documenting the homeless crisis in Manchester and my own university’s response to it on campus.

While here, I released my first photobook “Someone’s in Here” which sold out its first run and is now exclusively sold at Good Press Gallery in Glasgow, Scotland. In 2017, I released a body of work entitled Trope. The work explored how we view mental health and the stigmas around it. I had the work printed on vinyl flooring so you had to physically walk on it to enter the gallery – this caused a stir amongst guests on how to interact with the work – my point was that if we can’t figure out how to interact and talk about art why can’t we do it with the subject of mental health? This work was shown as the entry to my Graduate show in Manchester and as a part of the “Post Silver” exhibition in Hoxton Arches, London.

After university was headhunted to work on the PR team for a summer camp in Mississippi. I did this for two years and documented the life and times at the camp beyond the gates. I decided in late 2019, after meeting some incredible musicians while touring the USA that I would become an au pair and document the American family. This turned into a bigger project than I could imagine when covid hit. I was flown to Serbia to “quarantine” to get me over to the USA during the height of COVID-19. An image I took from the markets there called “Skardalija” was used in an exhibition in Blackpool, England, and was also featured in Vogue online.

After that, I worked in New Jersey for a year showing my work in documentary photography and textiles in both Manhattan and my local village, Maplewood. In November, I biked around New Jersey documenting the visceral reaction to Biden becoming president here – an image from this series was selected by the International Centre of Photography for their book, ICPConcerned: Global Images for Global Crisis. I began shadowing Julia of MADA in Maplewood, documenting her business and learning from her about textiles and sewing. I exhibited a lot of my work with Macrame at her shop and built a cult following from her store.

In 2021, I moved to Nashville to be closer to my friends and the music scene. Since then, I’ve been actively documenting the music, the people, and the style that Nashville bleeds. I also met my now Husband, Dhalton Horsman here. I have, of course, worked very closely with his band A Tribe of Horsman documenting their rise within the scene, tours, and helping create their album artwork. It has been a brilliant and wild ride so far. I’m only just getting started!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Moving thousands of miles away from all of my loved ones during a global pandemic was, and this is the understatement of the year, extremely hard. It was a huge test of my mental and physical health. I would walk around New Jersey in the deep snow in tears trying with all my might to just get through the day. I was unable to meet people due to covid restrictions and working constantly to stay busy. I was a live-in nanny which comes with its challenges but more than anything I was incredibly lonely.

Even though I had been working in America consistently for 2 years at that point the jobs were short 3 months stints and I was surrounded by friends and able to meet people wherever I went. now the world was closed off to me, I was so far from home and had a year of this ahead of me. I remember breaking down in a grocery store at Christmas because they didn’t have mince pies (an English sweet tart) and it just hit me I, for the first time in my life was going to be completely alone without family or even home comforts for Christmas and… for what felt like the rest of my life!

Even though I speak pretty much the same language as Americans so much here is different and it took a lot for me to just let go and enjoy it for what it was and not feel stupid for not having all the answers or knowing all the brands in the grocery store. It was humbling and once I tapped back into my curiosity as a photographer and not the fear of being a young woman alone during a pandemic, I finally found my groove.

It certainly took its toll on me and my relationships – I was in a dark place until I met Julia from MADA. She took me under her wing in that small town and became my family – she taught me so much about art, business, being a woman in America, and just true friendship. We made some great art together and I feel very lucky and grateful that she scooped me up and dusted me off. We are still close and collaborating even though now I live in Nashville!

Right now, the road ahead is challenging differently. I was diagnosed earlier this year with a problem with my hip. my hip and leg joints have grown too big and have crushed the soft tissue and labral causing me immense pain. I am 27 years old and my surgeon told me I was 2 years away from a hip replacement. Over the last few months, I have had to wind down my photography and textiles business and take care of my changing body.

Anyone who knows me knows I struggle to sit still and take a day off and again it’s been a huge lesson in slowing down and listening to what my body needs. I feel so lucky to have the support of my husband and friends here, I couldn’t get through the day without their love and friendly reminders to take it easy. I will have surgery next week to correct the issues with my hip and will have to take 6 months off while I learn to walk again. I plan to use this time to write a book about the craziness of the last few years, with travel tips for women and pictures from my travels – you can’t keep this girl down for too long!

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I specialize in Social Documentary Photography, macrame, and handmade clothing. I am most proud of my work ethic as it has taken me and allowed me to exhibit across the world.

I have not lost my childish curiosity and constantly want to learn. During the pandemic, I began taking online classes. I took a class at Harvard to study Japanese manuscripts, American Law, and Journalism classes and I have taken many sewing and art classes at Belmont Universities’ night school just for the hell of it! Learning keeps us young, sharp, and humble. I don’t know it all but I want to!

I taught myself to work with rope and make macrame wall hangings and bags, from there I began experimenting with sewing and this summer released my first run of tie tops that sold out! It was so fun to take my ideas and make sustainable products (I only use deadstock and secondhand vintage materials) to bring limited and unique tops to the Nashville scene!

Even with my bad hip, I was able to set up my business and do pop-ups and markets across the city. I have stopped now due to my hip problems but I am proud of myself for giving it a go and I can’t wait to design some new pieces ready for my recovery and next summer! I release all my textile work under the moniker “The String Zinger”.

You can check out my custom pieces there!

What’s next?
I plan to spend the next six months focusing on physical therapy and healing. I’m sure I’ll be documenting that process! It’s in my bones to do so – literally! I also plan to write a book about the last few years, feature some of my photography in it, and design some new patterns for The String Zinger.

My husband and I were married in 2022 but due to COVID-19 and my family being in England, we only had a real wedding celebration a week ago! Once I heal from my surgery, we plan to take a long trip to Europe so I can show my husband where I’m from, my life before America and finally relax! Of course, I’ll have my camera on hand for that!

Pricing:

• $100 per band (gig price)
• $100 per hour

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sophieinthestudio.co.uk/
• Instagram: @sophieinthestudio, @thestringzinger
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophieinthestudio

Image Credits
Sophie Grace Horsman @sophieinthestudio