Sophie Ward’s mellifluous prose has been a regular visitor on my RSS feed this past year. She writes like no one else I know – madly, with poetry and enthusiasm immediately apparent. Yes, she is Gemma’s sister, and a model in her own right – but more importantly, she is the driving force behind the Paper Castle Press – an imprint that publishes her own work and others. We talked to her about New York, Henry Miller and Hells Angels.
UHH — What has been keeping you busy lately?
Sophie — The dirty work of publishing my own book! The dreaded V word is also in my vocab a lot: the visa. I've been figuring out how to be an artist, live in NYC, and stay legal. It's like doing the macarena, whilst in limbo, on a tightrope.
UHH — How did you come to be doing what you do?
Sophie — I grew up in Perth, studied English and Philosophy at an ancient university two blocks from my house, was published by Mark Vassallo and Justin Smith in Mark Magazine with Tim Winton, realised I was a writer, became a full time student and full time model straddling opposite Australian coasts, graduated, moved to Sydney to model, loved it, adventured, catapulted myself to Europe, found myself emptier still. Wrote a book about it. Went back to Sydney. Fell into film and costume as well as more modeling and writing.
Then I went to support my sister when Heath Ledger died, and decided I never needed to go back to Australia. NYC was my home. I started Paper Castle Press one blustery spring evening in an apartment opposite Hells Angels HQ, whilst also falling in love with the man of my dreams (not a biker). Now we're working on my book together, and collaborating with other writers and creatives to bring great stories to life. He has a film and art direction background and plays bass and guitar in an amazing band here in NYC.
UHH — What has been inspiring you of late?
Sophie — A NYC white Christmas, watching Jay Z and Alicia Keys perform at the VMA's. Getting to know the people of NYC, going back to modeling, staying true to myself, showing young women and men that you can express beauty in many different forms, that creativity, intelligence and human beauty – both physical, psychological, spiritual and interpersonal – are qualities to aspire and reach for. Baseball and old Americana. Watching my boyfriend's band, Preacher and the Knife, perform. Looking at NYC apartments to move into. My sister's energy fresh from Burning Man! The idea of a New Orleans ("Nawlins") road trip with her. Henry Miller's Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymous Bosch, which makes me laugh, cry and hug the book, all in one day. Henry is one of my greatest friends.
UHH — Whom do you admire in Australia creatively?
Sophie — Mark Vassallo for the purity and excellence of his execution in stylistic matters. Akira Isogawa and Toni Maticevski for their commitment to beauty in fashion design. Baz Luhrmann for going against the grain and doing things however he likes, and differently. The red curtain trilogy of Strictly Ballroom, Romeo and Juliet and Moulin Rouge are totally unique and vivid monuments of creative verve. Even Australia had the Luhrmann touch. The fact that those films all came out of our country makes me proud. I'm pretty sure was the first movie I ever saw in a cinema!
UHH — Where is your favourite place to be in Australia?
Sophie — Up in the northern half of Western Australia. Ultimately, it is Ningaloo Reef, in a tent, with loved ones, deep sea fishing, driving down the asphalt wedged between an ochre red desert and sapphire still lagoons. Fruit bats and star gazing and sitting for hours de-husking old coconuts while goats and komodo dragons walk past. Australia rocks.
