Art
Curating Stillness: An Interview with Sophie Wood of Among the Pines
We are thrilled to welcome Among the Pines to our new Belgravia showroom for our latest exhibition, 'Stillness'. To celebrate this beautiful collaboration, we sat down with the gallery's founder and curator, Sophie Wood, to talk about her organic approach to art advisory, the allure of Japanese craftsmanship, and the stories behind the featured artists.
Could you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about Among the Pines?
"I started Among the Pines nearly six years ago as a small, bespoke gallery. We specialise mainly in British, European, and Japanese work, exhibiting both emerging and established artists. I curate small series of paintings, photography, and objects with collectors in mind. A core mission of mine is keeping much of the work affordable for younger audiences and art lovers who find it hard to acquire fully formed pieces by established names.
Among the Pines is primarily a curation of artists I find along life’s merry path. It arose out of sheer enthusiasm for makers and the beautiful objects they create. Because I don’t follow a specific style or strict template, I just follow my nose and connect with what I genuinely love. This has made for an unexpected and engaging curation. It has allowed me to present completely new artists to the UK market while giving emerging talent a platform to sit alongside highly collected names.
Naturally, this evolved into an art advisory service, where I now source artwork for members' clubs, hotels, restaurants, businesses, and private clients. I’ve spent 30 years working with international artists, starting with my first representation when I lived in Kenya from 1998 to 2008. Among the Pines officially began online in November 2020 before branching out into satellite exhibitions across London, Bruton, and the West Country. Most recently, I spent two and a half very happy years exhibiting fine and applied art within Patrick and Neri Williams' wonderful Berdoulat shop in Bath."
What is the origin story behind the gallery, and when did you officially launch?
"As a child, I loved 'playing shops' and was constantly reorganising my bedroom, moving objects and art around. I always knew I wanted a shop, but I hadn’t considered a gallery until a friend suggested showing artwork alongside the homewares I originally had in mind. By then, I had worked in a few galleries and was writing a blog about emerging applied artists. It didn't take much encouragement to approach a few of my favourite creators to see if they would exhibit with me.
Initially, Among the Pines represented about 45 artists. However, as a one-woman band, I quickly realised I couldn't give that many names fair representation, so I scaled back to a much more bespoke, focused offering. Having the unexpected extra time during the 2020 lockdown provided the perfect opportunity to build the platform, and we officially launched online in November of that year."
How would you describe your unique style of curation and selection process?
"My selection process is entirely organic. I rarely set out to intentionally search for artists; it is truly a journey of discovery. A friend of mine who has curated international museum projects over the years kindly noted that my strength lies in not having a singular, rigid style. He observed that I can see the best work across almost any genre, which is quite unusual. Clients often tell me that while the gallery's portfolio is incredibly varied, the pieces sit beautifully together because they are unified by the same 'eye'.
I loathe 'art for art’s sake'. For me to select a piece, the work must be technically proficient, fully formed, and instantly identifiable to that specific artist. Of late, I have been deeply drawn to emerging Japanese artists. Their gentle, unassuming homage to nature is breathtaking, and they are an absolute joy to work with."
The upcoming exhibition is beautifully titled ‘Stillness’. Could you delve into the theme and what inspired it?
"'Stillness' is something that completely eludes us all in modern life, yet it is a vital part of human existence for rest, recuperation, and creativity. We all came out of lockdown promising ourselves that we would slow down, but somehow we managed to speed the world up even more!
Many Japanese artists seamlessly embed this concept of stillness into their daily practice and work. They quietly observe Mother Nature, creating artwork that gently conveys the tranquility of the natural world. In turn, that peace is beautifully evoked in the observer."
Could you introduce us to the artists featured in this specific collection?
"This collection is incredibly special to me because the artists create work that is fundamentally modest and sincere. In a saturated art world where so many things look identical, their work stands out for its distinct identity and quiet beauty. The lineup includes:
- Mina Mohtasham: A brilliant young Japanese-Iranian-American multidisciplinary artist making her debut with Among the Pines. Working primarily from direct observation, she fuses traditional drawing techniques with fresh, contemporary ideas. For this show, she has painted a series of oil still lifes depicting unexpected groupings of objects against abstract, flat backgrounds. Her signature colour palette and style offer a beautiful nod to the great Euan Uglow.
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Kaori Takahashi & Mark McGilvray: A Devon-based, husband-and-wife duo whose collaborative woodwork practice bridges Japanese craftsmanship and Western woodworking techniques. Together, they plane, chisel, turn, wax, and lacquer to celebrate the living qualities of wood. Mark often shapes the forms while Kaori adds the intricate, detailed carving, resulting in sculpture-meets-craft pieces that respond directly to the British countryside.
- Makoto Sato: A gifted Japanese ceramicist who hand-builds and etches organic, almost primitive vessels. Though she graduated from the Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts in 2001, she initially took a supporting role in the studio—preparing clay and running the adjacent café—to support her husband's established ceramic practice. Soon drawn back to the clay herself, her striking, tactile work has found a dedicated base of admirers and collectors in the UK and abroad.
- Satoko Morishita: An artist I discovered entirely through the visual window of Instagram. Satoko is a quiet, modest soul who paints still, peaceful depictions of doves, horses, trees, fruit, and recent abstract compositions. She possesses a highly individual style that stands strong in a crowded market. Still an emerging painter, her work has already been beautifully received by both UK and American clients."
How did this exciting partnership with Sophie Breitmeyer come to life?
"I was contacted completely out of the blue by Claire Hibon, who beautifully organises Sophie’s exhibitions and events. It was an incredibly flattering proposition, especially when looking at the high caliber of curators who have previously exhibited in Sophie’s lovely Belgravia space. The exhibition was brewing in..."
The 'Stillness' exhibition opens on the evening of Thursday 10th September at our Belgravia showroom and will run right through until Christmas.
It is the perfect opportunity to find a truly unique, soul-stirring piece for your collection or a meaningful gift for the festive season.
The magic doesn't end with the holidays, either. We are delighted to extend our partnership into the new year. From January, Among the Pines will transition into a mixed winter residency, showcasing a rotating selection of other exceptional artists from their broader gallery portfolio until the start of Spring.
We look forward to welcoming you into the showroom to experience 'Stillness' this autumn.
Sophie Breitmeyer's Showroom, 36 Elizabeth St, London, SW1W 9NZ
