In conversation with... Sophie Pierce & more

In The Green Hill, Sophie Pierce writes about the sudden death of her son Felix with an aching and gentle honesty. This is a book that will be a great comfort to those who need it.” Sarah Perry, author of The Essex Serpent and Melmoth.

Continuing our series of conversation with writers, artists and thinkers, Richard Povall is in conversation with writer Sophie Pierce in this fourth in the series. This event is also part of of the art.earth First Friday series, which includes a sharing from the Throes of Grief artist collective.

This event is free and open to all (no registration is required)

You will find the Zoom link below (from three hours before the session starts)

Sophie Pierce is a writer and broadcaster who worked as a reporter and producer for the BBC for over twenty years. In 2017 her 20 year old son Felix died suddenly and unexpectedly. Her memoir The Green Hill: letters to a son explores how she responded to this devastating loss, navigating the weather and tides of grief. In the surroundings of Dartmoor and the South Devon coast she finds ways to continue the bond with Felix, both in her mind and with physical activity; actively mourning, rather than grieving. The book celebrates the natural landscape and the role it plays in our lives and relationships, as well as looking at how we think about our own mortality. The Green Hill, Felix’s burial place by the River Dart, comes to symbolise the issues that become important in the journey of grief: nature, beauty, a sense of place, and the passing of the seasons.  The book shows how Sophie finds ways to continue the bond and recreate her relationship with Felix, both in her mind and with physical activity: pen on paper, needle on the fabric of the clothes he wore, and swimming and walking. She learns to focus on the landscape around her, the plants and trees, the rivers of Dartmoor and the sea off the South Devon coast, to somehow ‘be’ with him again.

[image (above) Frankie Mills]

Annabel Pettigrew / Throes of Grief

Throes of Grief is an artist led collective research initiative exploring both the presence and themes of Grief in Contemporary art practice.

Founded by Annabel Pettigrew in 2020, following an Open Call and a round of initial in-depth conversations with applicants, a group of eight artists were selected to take part as participants.

More details can be found on our Instagram @throesofgrief and participating artists here.