The Art House, as part of our growing partnership with Leeds Arts University presents artist Sophie Amelia’s exhibition, Authentic Expression.
Sophie Amelia is a surface pattern designer for home interior products and accessories. Sophie is a process-led designer-maker, specialising in screen printing and celebrating traditional printmaking processes within her practice.
Applying an innovative human-centred approach, Sophie explores how design can improve well-being through sensory regulation, particularly for neurodivergent people. Her process
is influenced by time spent in community workshops and aims to provoke societal change through empowerment and embracing authenticity. Often employing experimental drawing and mark-making techniques, Sophie communicates ideas through an abstract approach to image-making, using both hand and digital methods to construct compositions.
Authentic Expression is Sophie Amelia’s latest collection, made for neurodivergent women and femme-aligned people who want to celebrate their authentic identities and start to make their spaces work for them. Supporting a growing willingness to embrace individuality and finding strength in our sensitivities. With 80% of autistic women receiving their diagnosis post age 18, a lost generation is now emerging. This makes it important now more than ever to raise awareness about the societal biases that have prevented autistic women from receiving the support and understanding they require. These designs are composed of an abstract amalgamation of shapes, textures and colours based on the quotes gathered about the experience of autism as a woman. Specialist surface finishes are used to add an elevated sensory aspect to the designs, welcoming the need for sensory regulation and making it a focal point within the home. This is a textile collection developed by, with and for autistic women.
Authentic Expression is on display in Wakefield Cathedral from 2nd November until 4th December.
Images courtesy of the artist.
Click images to enlarge and view in full.