Interview with Annie Soudain

Rye Harbour Discovery Centre shop sells a variety of wildlife-themed greetings cards by local artists, including those by Annie Soudain. Emma Chaplin from Sussex Wildlife Trust caught up with her to find out a bit more about her work.

“Are you a regular visitor to Rye Harbour Nature Reserve?”

“Yes and I have been for years and have seen many changes. I was delighted to visit the Discovery Centre and be shown around.

Have you always lived in the Rye area?

I was born in Kent, spent my early years in Cornwall then studied art in Canterbury and Brighton. I moved here in 1970 and lived first at Pett Level then moved to Fairlight in 1993. Most of my paintings and prints are of beach and landscapes of the area.

How did you first become engaged with wildlife and nature?

My interest in plants started in my early years spent in Truro in Cornwall, where I went on long walks with my mother and older sister along a disused railway track where the steep banks were undisturbed and full of flowers and insects, my mother would encourage us to look closely.

Another favourite walk was to a series of water meadows, the shallow stream covered in rafts of floating plants and shoals of tiny minnows would appear for a moment and disappear in a flash of silver. Two parks were also included in our regular outings.”

Has your art changed over the years?

At the moment I am concentrating on making reduction linoprints. I started cutting lino at school and continued at art school making it my special craft. Later when I was teaching I made sure it was available as a craft.

Now I have stopped teaching I am working from home and find the reduction method of cutting and printing all the colours from one block both exciting and challenging.

Annie is a member of the Sussex Guild and the Rye Society of Artists. You can buy her cards from the Rye Harbour Discovery Centre.

Image Credits: Annie Soudain .