Sophie Monet is the artist behind a local line of handcrafted jewelry that uses wood, stone, and other sculptural materials to create pieces as playful as candy and as timeless as a LBD.
It all started one summer afternoon when she turned a piece of wood into a ring using her dad’s drill press (her father is also an artist, and his influence on her signature style is undeniable). She was working in fashion at the time, but found that the art of creating jewelry satisfied her soul on another level — and hardly felt like work.
Sophie’s designs effortlessly embody an easy-cool California vibe, making her a perfect fit for the Venice neighborhood she’s based in.
As we love her hands-on approach and the luxurious, eclectic-yet-classic work that results, we asked Sophie to join our ‘In The Studio With’ series. Take a tour behind the scenes of Sophie’s world: homemade cappuccinos, vintage couches and awesome adventures abroad included…
To get the creative juices flowing I…
I work closely with my dad, who’s a sculptor. We’re constantly collaborating and finding ways to repurpose scrap-wood pieces and create techniques in production to eliminate any wasted materials. We are very conscious of this and treat the wood and machinery we use as something very precious.
Daily necessity:
Homemade cappuccino.
My favorite current project is:
I’m currently in Italy doing an artist residency at Villa Lena. I’m creating a special limited edition for the Foundation and experimenting with lots of new mediums and found objects.
Favorite object in the studio:
A lemon-colored curved sofa from the ’60s.
Latest inspirations:
Terra cotta.
Soundtrack in the studio:
Leon Bridges.
Most common visitors to the studio:
All my neighbors.
Favorite spots in the neighborhood:
Venice has so many good spots. I love Scopa, Hinano and Tortoise General Store.
Other artists inspiring me right now:
I love the work of JB Blunk and his huge hand-carved sculptures.
