b. 1963, England; lives and works in England and France

1992 Art Newspaper Award for best sculpture in show at the Mall Galleries

1981–84 Royal Academy Schools, London

Sophie Ryder delves into the world of mystical creatures as part of her practice, coaxing animals and hybrid beings from sawdust, wet plaster and everyday objects such as wire, old toys, torn paper and charcoal sticks. Within the mythical context, she famously developed the Lady Hare as a counterpart to Ancient Greek mythology’s Minotaur. She is held in public and corporate collections including: Yorkshire Sculpture Park, UK; Victoria Art Gallery, Bath; Seven Bridges Sculpture Park, Connecticut, USA, and has exhibited internationally in solo shows: The Piece Hall, Halifax (2022); Hignell Gallery, London (2016); Blickacksen, Bad Homburg, Germany (2015); Caldwell Snyder Gallery, San Francisco, USA (2013), amongst others.