Sophie Parkin | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1961-06-06)6 June 1961 (age 64) London, England |
| Occupation(s) | Writer and artist |
| Known for | Proprietor of Vout-O-Reenee's |
| Notable work | The Colony Room Club 1948–2008: A History of Bohemian Soho |
| Spouse | J. W. Vink (2009–2017) |
| Parent(s) | Molly Parkin and Michael Parkin |
Sophie Parkin (born 6 June 1961) is an English writer, artist and poet. She was previously the proprietor of an arts club in East London, Vout-O-Reenee's, opened in 2014:[1][2] she left in 2023.
Born inLondon in 1961, Sophie Parkin was schooled atRedcliffe School,Oxford Gardens Primary School, Burlington Grammar School in West London,Frensham Heights Boarding School, Surrey, thenCamborne School of Mines, near Redruth,Cornwall. She went on to attendSaint Martin's School of Art,Leeds Polytechnic (tutored byJeff Nuttall) andAnthony Earnshaw, thenMaidstone College of Art, where she graduated with a Fine Art degree in 1982.
As a child, Parkin starred in many commercials, including forWall's sausages,Comfort fabric conditioner and as theDulux girl. She also modelled inNova magazine andThe Sunday Times and appeared inAndrew Logan’sAlternative Miss World in 1979 film. She has also appeared in film, such as theDylan Thomas biopicThe Edge of Love, directed byJohn Maybury and starringKeira Knightley,Sienna Miller andMatthew Rhys. As a present on her 18th birthday, her parents gave her membership to theChelsea Arts Club andThe Colony Rooms inSoho,[3] and she went on to work in or manage several high-profile clubs and bars.[4]
Parkin has regularly written for British newspapers and periodicals, and appeared on television and radio as a broadcaster – onWoman's Hour onBBC Radio 4. She wrote regularly for3:AM Magazine. She has also written forThe Guardian,The Independent,The Daily Mail,The Times,The Lady magazine,Tatler,Harper's,Bonham's Magazine and theBritish Library. She has written obituaries in national British newspapers onSylvia Scaffardi,Martha Hill andDick Bradsell. She also taught creative writing atMorley College, London, for three years.
Her novels areAll Grown Up (1998),Take Me Home (1999) andDear Goddess (2000). She has also written forPiccadilly Press the teen novelsFrench for Kissing (2005),Best of Friends (2006), andMad, Rich and Famous (2006). Other writings by her appear in the collectionsMothers by Daughters (1995),Sons and Mothers (1997),Girls Just Want To Have Fun: the Cosmopolitan book of short stories,Best of Friends (which she also edited), andPOT 05 – Anthology of Poetry (edited byMichael Horovitz). In 2012, she publishedThe Colony Room Club 1948–2008: A History of Bohemian Soho. A history of Soho'sThe Colony Room Club,[5] it was the book choice of her motherMolly Parkin as a castaway on theBBC Radio 4 programmeDesert Island Discs.[6]
In May 2014, Parkin opened Vout-O-Reenee's nearShoreditch, east London,[4] an arts club that has been described as "a private members club for the surrealistically distinguished",[7] encompassing The Stash Gallery. The intention had been to open the club with barman and friend Dick Bradsell; however, he became ill with a brain tumour and died in 2016.[8][9] The name of the club is based on jazz musicianSlim Gaillard's dictionary of Jive slang.[10]
The Stash Gallery, which is open to the public, shows contemporary living artists, with recent exhibits including film producerSandy Lieberson's collection of art photography and movie memorabilia (24 November 2021–25 January 2022),[11] and, in spring 2022,147 Women Dinner Party by Sophie Parkin and Mandee Gage, "an installation about women who should be better remembered, for how they have been instrumental in making and changing Britain".[12][13] The private members club is painted by artists Tony Common, Morganico and Keeler&Tonero as a surrealistic wonderland. It was designed by Susan Dalgleish and Parkin.[4] It is open to non-members when ticketed events occur.[14]
She is the sister of Sarah Lieberson and Zuleika Gerrish, and daughter of artistMolly Parkin and art dealer Michael Parkin.[15][3] Her godmother wasSylvia Scaffardi, co-founder of theNational Council for Civil Liberties (later known as Liberty).[4] Parkin was formerly married to Jan Vink.[4]She has a son, Cameron (1987) and a daughter, Carson Parkin-Fairley.[16]
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