One Fish a Day

One fish, Two fish, Red fish, Blue fish.

I first got to know Antibes based artist Sophi Digsmed through Instagram after seeing some of her beautiful illustrations of Cap d’Antibes. She had posted a gorgeous drawing of a friend of mines villa  (below) which is what made me notice her work. I decided to contact her to find out what she loves about the Cap and what inspires her. We met up on an unusually cold morning recently. She was such a lovely person to spend time with and we hit it off straight away taking a walk around the Cap together. I love coming across new people in this way, people I would possibly never otherwise meet socially. Up to now everyone I have interviewed for the blog has had such an interesting story to tell and all have such varied and diverse backgrounds.

The one thing that they have in common is that at some point in their lives they have found themselves in Cap d’Antibes.

Sophi was born in Denmark, lived in Thailand, grew up in Ibiza, studied art in Catalonia, worked as a graphic designer in Paris, moved to Marseille and now lives in Antibes. Happily married with two children Sophi has lived in Antibes for 8 years. From an inherently creative family (her father was a well known and now very collectable Danish Kitchenware designer and her mother a fashion designer ), it isn’t surprising that Sophi also ended up following a creative path. Her uncle it turns out is also an artist in Ibiza.

Sophi told me that at first she decided to study economics. She liked the idea of becoming a high powered business woman but with such an artistic family she finally had to admit that in reality she was much more the artist than the business woman. After a while spent working in advertising Sophi is now a full time illustrator. 

I noticed that you have quite a few illustrations of fish. Is there a reason for this?

A couple of years ago I decided to do the Artisan summer night Market in Antibes. I had many drawings but I had never really coloured them.  At school we worked only with Gouache and I was so terrible at it.  After I left school I didn’t paint anymore. On top of that I was an internet Art Director for many years so worked only in digital.

One day I decided I wanted to try watercolor but again I found it very difficult. So, I started watching You tube tutorials. Then, on Instagram, I came across artists doing 30 day or 100 day challenges. It seemed like a great idea so I decided to paint one Mediterranean fish per day for 100 days. It really worked and I made amazing progresses really quickly. The entire process was a lot of fun and allowed me to experiment a lot.

How did you come to find yourself in Antibes?

For love. I met my husband in Marseille, he was already  living in Antibes. He convinced me to have a baby and move to Antibes with him.

Can you remember the first time you discovered Cap d’Antibes or were you familiar with it already?

No I wasn’t familiar with the Cap at all but once I started walking around with our dog I discovered the Cap. It reminded me so much of my childhood in Ibiza in the seventies. Same kind of trees, plants, little ports with coloured fishing boats and rocks along the sea. The villas reminded me of those in stories I read as a kid by La Contesse de Segur . When I walk and see those beautiful cast iron gates with amazing gardens behind and a glimpse of the old villas, I can’t help but wonder about their story.

You mentioned that you left your job in advertising, what made you decide to concentrate on illustrating full time?

I’ve always been an illustrator and a graphic designer. I quit advertising because my values changed after a long disease but also because I wasn’t getting anymore drawing projects. I decided to totally change direction and sell fantasy fabrics online on Ebay but I got pregnant, separated and moved to Marseille, all in the space of 1 year.

Suddenly I had to earn money quickly as a single mum in a town where I knew hardly anybody. I was helped by friends of friends and started selling matresses in a Futon shop. I absolutely hated selling. It just isn’t me. Because I was very unhappy, I started drawing again. I call them my exculpatory drawings. The drawings were about my daughter making me loose my temper and about having no more time alone. I’m a very introverted person, I need a lot of time alone and get very stressed if I can’t have that. Drawing was my escape, a way to release all those terrible thoughts and feelings I was having.

Afterwards I stopped drawing as I met my husband and our family got bigger. There was no more time for me.

Then, three years ago we got a dog. My daughter had been begging for one for ages and finally I gave in. As usual kids only want to play with the dog and not deal with the other boring stuff. I was the only one walking that poor dog. I’m really not a dog person at all but thanks to that dog I started discovering a lot of Antibes and Cap d’Antibes.

I thought it was beautiful and I just fell in love with this town. So I made a deal with the dog, she runs around, swims and chases birds while I draw. At the beginning I was drawing the Fort Carré a lot sitting on rocks.

What was the first thing on the Cap that you illustrated?

It was one of those beautiful cast iron gates with an amazing big Mimosa hanging over the wall of the garden on Chemin du Crouton.

Which of your Cap d’Antibes illustrations is your favourite and why?

I can’t really tell because I don’t have many yet but I have so many I still want to paint. I love old villas, cast iron gates, little paths, botanics, tiny details, little ports, wooden boats, etc. I’d love to paint the l’Abri de l’Olivette but I’m struggling painting the Pointus.

Do you have a favourite spot on the Cap?

As I said l’Abri d’Olivette but also I love just sitting under a Pine parasol, on a rock, watching the sea and sailing boats passing by. I like the smell of the trees when they are hot with the sun. Cap d’Antibes is very quiet so as I enjoy being alone it’s the perfect place for observing, contemplating and taking in natures scents.

Asides from illustrating, what’s your favourite thing to do on the Cap?

Last April we bought an old fishing boat, like a big Pointu with a cabin so I love to spend time on that with family and friends. I’ve always wanted a boat made entirely from wood. My husband works on big yachts but we both like very much wooden boats. He loves fishing as he is Australian from Tasmania and I love contemplating the coast and the sparking reflection of the sun on the water. For me, feeling the warmth of the sun is like a charger.

We never go very far just around the area of Cap d’Antibes or to the Cannes islands. We like to order pizza which we have delivered to Port de l’Olivette, I then go and collect it in our little tender and bring it back to the boat. Sometimes my husband cooks something simple on the bbq with a little chilled bottle of wine or we just enjoy life with kids and friends. I have my boat licence now so I’m allowed to drive our boat and I just feel so happy when I do.  I can’t drive a car, I have no interest in cars.

What do you always carry with you when you go out to draw?

I have at least two or three different sizes pads in my backpack with a few ink pens. Most of the time I draw directly with my black ink pen on watercolor paper. I do so many details that I don’t have time to use paints while I am out.

Do you always make preliminary drawings or do you work from photos too?

Yes like I said I mainly like to draw in place and then paint at home. However sometimes I don’t have time to draw in situ as I walk with my dog. I often take pictures and paint later at home. Drawing in situ, I feel, gives my drawings something more. They look more alive and I usually prefer the finished result too.

Cap d’Antibes is generally very quiet and tranquil, do you like to work in busy locations too?

I do sometimes work in public, like in the Antibes old market but it annoys me when people stand behind me watching me work. It kind of blocks me. I don’t know why.  Sometimes it’s nice to have a little chat but I have too little time for myself so I just want to keep drawing.

What inspires your work? People, details, nature, Colour?

Yes exactly all of those things and also botanics are very important to me. I love colour. As I was born on an island (Copenhaguen), lived some time in Bangkok close to the river and grew up in Ibiza I need to see water, coastlines and nature. I would love to paint people but I’m really no good at it yet. It’s a future project, maybe another 100 days project.

What is it that you love most about what you do?

I love spending time drawing and trying to share the feeling I have when I see the charm of a place. I love being in my bubble. It recharges me.

Is there anything you can’t draw or which you find more difficult?

Yes, portraits and people. I can draw them but I want to improve. However I want to learn to draw people as a figure or a group of people giving life to a bigger drawing. I have no interest in portraits.

Where do you find your clients?

I get some from Instagram, some from my Facebook page and some see my post cards. Some I meet whilst out and about or through previous clients so word of mouth. My first clients were thanks to the summer artisan market I did two years ago on the Pré aux Pêcheurs.

My clients are kind of fantastic clients. They come to me but I choose them. I refuse a lot of commissions. I need to have a good feeling with the person and their request. When I was younger I accepted a lot more commissions than I do now. I took on jobs which I didn’t enjoy very much and to be honest I found it was a waste of time and energy. At this stage in my life I don’t want to waste time anymore. It’s too precious as you get older.

What’s your typical commission?

Most of my commissions to date have been houses, hotels, shops and restaurants in Antibes. I have also been working with Molinard the perfums in Grasse, painting their bastide. I tried to paint flowers for soap boxes but I was not happy with what I painted and gave up. 

Another recent commission was painting for The Grand Hotel in Cap Ferrat. I’ve enjoyed that a lot. Initially I was contacted by their Chef Yoric Tieche, the former Chef of the Belles Rives. He asked me to paint his menus. I loved painting his dishes. It was a great experience.

It was Yoric who then introduced me to Alice Ardisson, Director of Housekeeping. She invited me to paint many different parts of the Grand Hotel Domaine. Alice is such a lovely person, I loved working with her.

Where can people buy your work?

For the moment most of my drawings are sold as post cards, bookmarks or a few posters in four shops in Antibes. I don’t really sell my larger drawings as they are generally private commissions. I do have a little collection of drawings from Antibes that I am keeping for a future exhibition.

One day I hope to find an affordable studio in the old town of Antibes. Then I will be able to sell my drawings and paintings directly to the public.

On average how long does one illustration take you to complete?

It really depends the subject and the mood. It can be an hour or less or eight hours or even more. Commissions take longer usually.

Do you have any projects in the pipeline? What’s the plan for 2019?

Oh yes! Many many ! I have a whole long list but let’s take one by one. I’m finishing a map of Antibes and a few new post cards for Spring. I want to paint more in Cap d’Antibes and also a bit of Juan-Les-Pins.

If you would like to commission Sophi to illustrate your home or garden you can contact her by email at annsophi.digsmed@gmail.com 

Sophis’ Postcards are available at the following shops in Antibes: La librairie Massena in Robert Soleau, The English Book Shop in rue Clémenceau, The Absinthe bar shop in the old Market and in the Tobacco Le Balto place Nationale.

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