Werxzovart, the pseudonym for artist Sonje Hibbert, was established in 1996; when living admist the windsong on the wild Atlantic coast of West Penwith, Cornwall UK.
The artist herself however, was born on the outskirts of Glasgow, Scotland in 1964, with family roots extending from the industrial valleys & moorlands of the South Pennines UK, to the windswept archipelago of Shetland right up there in the North Atlantic Sea. One could suggest a viking ancestry, nevertheless, and with an expansive tale to boot, Sonje was brought up and educated in much more distant and tropical lands: experiencing an extraordinary life age five to sixteen, in Malawi & Hong Kong from 1969-1980.
Dirt road, dust filled, family car trajectories were the childhood mainstay with frequent explorations around the Eastern & Southern African wilderness, finally departing, that vast continent in 1973. Sailing north east from Mombasa on a cargo ship called SS Karanja across the Indian Ocean to Karachi Pakistan then Bombay as it was known back then. With parents at the helm, this extraordinary three month road trip in the trusty family Peugeot estate car crossed west via North India, through Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran into Eastern Europe and finally back to the UK. The memorable vehicle, encompassing horse, cart and home in that overland journey was then shipped to HK, to live out its final days where the family relocated to until 1980. By 1985 Sonjes solo travels continued around West & East Asia, including a one year work, drive & hitch hike across Australia, and traversing Russia on the Trans Mongolian Railway from Beijing to Moscow. With all these varied & tropical climes being the familiar until her mid twenties in 1990, its safe to say a lot happened on this road well travelled, buoyed on from a childhood injected with extraordinary adventures to blow the mind!
In 1991, a life changing road traffic accident in the UK brought sharper focus to pursue her artistic career, bringing somewhat of a pause to this five year unwavering trans global escapade! Now well documented through a vast collection of sketch books, journals & poetic musings: having experienced alternate living, working and travelling in North Africa, Israel, India, South East Asia through to Australia and NZ. From here a new chapter began, to nuture the creativity that was powered by these inspiring somewhat nomadic explorations around the world.
Driven by unapologetic escapism from this increasingly uncompromising world, in full avoidance of becoming the beige domestic, or an indifferent barnacle in her rock obsessive mode; the creative expression unfurls as a narrative- through this nomadic modus operandi. An adventurous and continuing quest: for self, the meaning of life and, quite clearly magnificent rocks! By immersion in dramatic landscapes, either vast and barren, or geographically obscure, the relationship of place and emotion can only then be felt. Sometimes the artistic expression is an existential impression, sometimes not. The work offered is visceral; with personal & artistic boundaries being stretched: creating a slightly unusual and audacious, risk taking mode.
Working as an artist for over forty years, with a solo showcase from 2013 -2021 in the magnificantly successful self owned Werxzovart Studio Gallery on Main Street Haworth, W. Yorkshire: artistic production focused on large-scale expressions. Offering exagerrated ceramic interpretaions of 'The Jug' and other vessels, alongside which stood, unique large scale acrylic painted mixed media wall mounted contemporary designs. In addition to these, and since completing the Masters Degree in 2003, enthusiastic research has evloved around the language of geology. Developing pieces which are less about design of a stylized form and more about the manipulaton and receptive nature of the maliable substance of clay and other materials, these latter quite often remotely found. Complimenting these very sought after ceramics, the large acrylic painted wall panels feature natural or discarded elements taken from the land that inspired them. The work at times combining steel & ceramic: many are then framed with a considered brace of cast off lead. All of the unique artworks are highly collectable and which have been paramount in supporting this enigmatic & nomadic way.
Departing Yorkshire in 2021, creative output and life dipped into into a lighter more contemplative phase, with inspiration being nurtured between adventurous overland trajectories across Eastern & Southern Africa in 2022- 2023. And more recent retreat to maternal ancestral roots, set within the fascinating geological phenomena of the northern most isles of the UK, Shetland, where Sonje now resides.
TRANS AFRICA- NAIROBI TO VICTORIA FALLS OVERLAND 2023
2026 -A new home and studio is presently underway with inquiries for art work purchase most welcome, so please feel free to get in touch!
Artworks that are available can be viewed on this website under artworks for sale.
FAIR ISLE SHETLAND FEB 2022
