Soph Baker Interview

Get an insight into the mind of Cardiff's latest artist extraordinaire as we interrogate one of our most recent collaborators: Soph Baker.

Shop the latest CSC clothing including Soph's bangin' 'Slime' tees online now!

Following on from her 'Slime' artwork she made for us, which featured on a run of tees as well as our most recent North ad, we had to throw some questions at one of Cardiff's finest new resident artists, Soph Baker, to find out more about the gal behind the graphic. As it turns out, Soph's got some pretty incredible lore including saving crackheads' lives, working with some serious industry legends and having her artwork up in Castle Bam - she's even got some Welsh heritage which is always a bonus. Check out the full interview below!

Hey Soph! Please could you start off by introducing yourself for anyone who’s unfamiliar?

Hey! I’m an artist, I primarily hand paint everything using acrylic and I’m skate art obsessed!

So you only moved to Cardiff fairly recently, where were you before and what brought you to the Land of Dragons?

Well, first things first - I am like half Welsh or something! But I was born in Devon, England - it’s nice but it’s pretty dead and uninspiring. My plan was to always move away and then coincidentally my partner got offered a job in the 'Diff which was a no brainer! We moved up and I never want to go back - that farmer life is NOT for me. 

I love Cardiff, it really does have its own charm - it’s loud, proud and super welcoming. But it also has its sketchy parts, which in my opinion makes a city - keeps shit real. I had to help Narcan some guy who was zonked out in the rain the other day!

How did you first get into art?

Art has been my thing for as long as I can remember, I’ve always been a constant scribbler - I was the one who everyone asked to do their bubble writing at school and stuff. It has also been a big coping mechanism throughout my life, from helping me focus in school to helping with my mental health as an adult. A creative outlet is so important.

What was it that drew you towards skating and how did you transition towards making more skate-oriented art?

I was a proper tomboy growing up and naturally gravitated towards skateboarding - the first board I can remember riding was this kind of cruiser shaped Action Man board with this ugly, bright orange plastic tail, think it was probably from Woolworths or something. 

Then my whole world changed when I got my PS2 and discovered the Tony Hawk games. American Wasteland was my favourite, mostly because of the graphics that would pop up (by Jimbo Phillips, son of Jim Phillips) - I would always try to trace them or sketch up something similar.

After leaving art college, I was unsure on what to do next. I was feeling super bummed out so I joined a girls skate club and ended up designing some T-shirts for them. This ignited my love for both art and the skate scene again, so I started to combine the two.

We heard that you were mentored by industry legend Mark Waters. Could you tell us how that came about?

Being mentored by Mark really was a special experience and I feel super lucky to have had the opportunity. 

I was scrolling one day and I saw that Bam had been helping out with this new company called The Heart Supply, so I just sent a bunch of art over by chance and Mark replied! 

He liked my stuff but I needed some mentoring from someone in the scene to help sharpen things up - so he called me on Zoom and we ended up speaking for almost 3 hours! I absorbed as much as I could and then we geeked out over board graphics and his sticker collection. He then began to send me different design briefs which he would then critique what I’d send back. Unfortunately, this came to an abrupt end when he passed away from Covid. He was the first guy to give me a chance and I will forever be grateful for his time and teachings. RIP MARK!

That’s such an amazing opportunity to have had, he must have had some really unique insights. What were some of the things you took away from that experience?

That’s a hard one because he really did teach me so much about the industry - from how to present designs to companies to the process and financial aspects, he covered it all. But what sticks out the most is how much he really cared about people and the development of the skate scene. He gave me hope and the confidence to not give up!

What does your process usually look like? Is there anywhere in particular you look for inspiration?

The overall skate culture or horror movies are the main sources of inspiration, or sticking on some Sabbath helps to get in the zone. I usually start with writing lists of things I’d like to paint and then I figure out what works best simplified into my style. My go to skate videos are usually anything Antihero - I love Destination Unknown, especially when the legendary eagle swoops down at the start.

Or, I’ll have a look through my bible which is ‘Skateboard Art of Jim Phillips’. Defo going to make it a family heirloom.

Talk us through the new tees you made for us then, how did you come up with the design?

Around the same time I rocked up to the shop with my zine, I had done a little painting for Spit and Sawdust. One of you spotted it and liked the vibe. I kept the same mouth concept but added a slimey eyeball instead with some text to match - inspired by Jim Phillips and his bold Santa Cruz T-shirts.

You’ve got a picture of Bam holding your artwork in your Insta highlights, what’s the story there?

Yep, Bam Margera has multiple paintings of mine hung up in his house in Pennsylvania! From only playing as him on the PS2 to becoming obsessed with CKY and Jackass - he became my absolute hero and I had to get some art to him. I did some investigating and found the address for the iconic Castle Bam and just sent over a painting - I never really thought he’d ever actually get it. A couple weeks later, I opened up instagram and there’s a photo of Bam AND PHIL with my painting in the iconic family kitchen - it was WILD. I actually fulfilled a life goal!

We also saw you were chatting to Todd Francis, how did that come about?

I was starting to reach out to successful artists in the scene for advice and who better than Todd Francis - his style is so recognisable and consistent, everything is hand painted so beautifully - even the turds. He called me from his studio and after I stopped fangirling he shared some of his wisdom. He was really cool!

Have you ever had any ‘don’t meet your heroes’ moments when reaching out to any of these people?

You know what, I really wish I could give a juicy answer but everyone that I’ve come across so far in the skate scene have been so sound and welcoming. 

Even when Antihero came to Bristol - when I heard that they were coming, I immediately started painting and couldn’t miss this opportunity. I had the pleasure of meeting and giving art to Julien Stranger, Tony Trujillo, Brian Anderson and Frank Gewer. They were all super grateful and took the time to chat and take photos - I even traded stickers with Tony!

What else have you been working on recently?

Just constantly adding to my portfolio! But I am also currently working on an eyeball series, sketching from a clay eyeball that I made.

Seems like you’ve already linked up with a fair few all-time greats, what other brands or people do you dream of doing art for? Or conversely, is there anyone you wouldn’t want repping your artwork?

My absolute dream would be to get a guest artist spot on any company - but my favourites are Antihero, Toy Machine and Krooked. 

I could drop some political names but I’ll just say that guy who invented skate stoppers, what a lame legacy.

Do you have any tips for fellow aspiring artists out there?

My advice for aspiring artists today is to try not to give a shit about the likes - just get your art out there until it’s burnt into everyone's brains. Also - don’t be scared to just randomly reach out to people, you’ve got nothing to lose.

What’s next for you then?

More work in the skate scene, I hope! Currently writing a list of who to prey on next. 

Is there anyone you want to give a shoutout to?

Shoutout to the skate scene for helping me find a place for my art!

That's enough chit-chat though. Head to the shop to browse the full range of CSC clothing. Or, check out more skate interviews on the CSC Blog. Safe.