Distinguished friends

Sophie Herxheimer

Artist and poet Sophie Herxheimer has held residencies for the London International Festival of Theatre, Southbank Centre, Transport for London, and the National Maritime Museum among others. Exhibitions include The Whitworth, The Poetry Library, Wiltons Music Hall and The National Portrait Gallery.

Sophie has illustrated five fairy tale collections, made several artists’ books, created a 300-metre tablecloth to run the length of Southwark Bridge, narrated an episode of BBC Radio 4’s Food Programme from her story project in Margate, made a life-size Mrs Beeton-shaped poem sited next to her grave; and a pie big enough for seven drama students to jump out of singing on a care home lawn.

She has an ongoing story collecting project in which she listens to and draws live with members of the public. Her poems have appeared in Long Poem Magazine, Poems in Which, Tears in the Fence, and others. She won first prize in 2015’s inaugural Poetry Book Fair Competition. Recent publications include The Listening Forest, The New Concrete, VOYAGE and Velkom to Inklandt.

Sophie teaches and collaborates extensively.