Sophie Walbeoffe, An English Paintbox

Sophie Walbeoffe, 'An English Paintbox', 1st - 23rd July

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'I paint because it feels an extraordinary privilege simply to know how. I live in a place where the light glimmers, glows, twists and turns — where deep shadows sit against the luminous colours of Africa. I was taught in England by British painters, and their voices still ring in my head: “Calm down. Think of delicious colour mixes. The world is your studio.”

I never consciously chose to live in Africa, but life swept me up and landed me here more than thirty years ago, and it has shaped the way I see colour, atmosphere and movement ever since.

I paint largely on site because I find it far more exciting trying to capture the immediacy, lushness and energy of the landscape directly. Working outdoors allows a freedom of movement and brushstroke that is difficult to recreate later. It is so easy to destroy a painting by overworking it in the studio - though the struggle and experiments continue.'

- Sophie Walbeoffe, 2026