The talented Sherrie-Leigh Jones

When I first saw Sherrie’s work I had to take a little breath. The dramatic landscapes mixed with electric collage is just magical.

I’m in the process of building a nature gallery wall in my East London loft. It is tall and thin without any space between each picture. I’ll show you when it’s finished. So far I a have a Swedish woods photograph by Joe Maclay, an old landscape watercolour I found in a charity shop in Muswell Hill and a piece by Aliki Braine. If I could add a piece by Sherrie and one by Julie Cockburn and Louboutin Pyramid Hedges by Jane Hilton think my nature wall would be complete. I’m building a “nature skyscraper” (I love the new name, I just made it up now) because I don’t have a garden.

I’m craving nature like never before. This lockdown has been tough on my soul. I’m a huge traveller and swimmer but enough about me let’s chat to the beautiful and talented Sherrie. PS I love the stained glass windows in her studio, do you?

Firstly how are you feeling today?

I have been enjoying the slightly slower pace of things in lockdown and being able to spend more time with my husband than usual. He's also an artist, so it's been nice to have someone around more to talk through ideas with while I have been busy working on a new series of prints. 

Has nature helped you heal in lockdown?

Nature is a huge inspiration for my work, so I have been really grateful to still be able to go outdoors and enjoy going on walks throughout lockdown, otherwise, I think I may have gone a bit mad. I have the beach on my doorstep and can see the sea from my living room; one of the first things I do in the morning is look out to the sea, so I think I may have gone a bit mad if I couldn't actually get outside and enjoy it. 

How do you incorporate nature into your everyday life?

I love being outdoors, going for walks by the sea and to local parks. 

What message do you have for people about the natural world?

I think one of the things about nature is that it reminds you to slow down and appreciate the simple things that you can often overlook in the rush and business of 'normal' everyday life and I think that appreciation may have been heightened even more so for people during lockdown. 

Is your art inspired by mother nature?

Nature and travel are the main inspirations for my work, whether it's mountainous scenery, trees and the shadows they create, changing seasons, colours of the sky or rock formations etc. I miss travelling as I love experiencing new landscapes and places and find it makes me look at things differently; it often gives me a chance to observe new scenery and appreciate elements of nature I may not have observed before. During lockdown I have been getting my travel fix from reading magazines such as Rucksack Magazine, which is full of photographs of the natural elements.

Tell us a bit more about your work and your studio.

 I work between my home studio and North Star Printmaking studio in Brighton, so apart from not going to the studio to print, my daily working life hasn't been affected too much by the lockdown. I'm always gathering imagery and taking photographs on my travels, walks and when I'm just out and about if something catches my eye. I then use analogue and digital collage before taking works into the print studio to screenprint, resulting in a new landscape remodelled from existing ones. 

Is your home a sanctuary? 

I have always wanted to be an artist but there was a time that I went through a phase of thinking about being an interior designer. I still love all things interiors, design and architecture, so my home is definitely my sanctuary. I have a love for simple, minimal and functional design, basically Scandinavian design, though lately I have also been drawn to the Japandi style. I find the minimalist and less is more approach, make for calming spaces.

Do you have a message for people less fortunate than us who might not have a safe place to live?

Though I think creating a physical sanctuary is important, I think it's also important to create a mental sanctuary. Meditation is great for creating an escape and a safe place to retreat to for a moment of calm. 

The Circling Of The Moon by Sherrie-Leigh Jones

The Sanctuary Collection has been set up in honour of remembering the birdsong good things that came out of lockdown. We are also giving to The Nia Project a domestic violence charity. If you purchase one of our beautiful botanical gift-sets created with our favourite East London brands Earl of East and Grace and Thorn. £10 goes goes to women and children in need of a safe place to live.

Thank you for listening and much love Jules xx