Rachel McDonnell

Rachel McDonnell is a landscape artist, and more, painting everything from the representational to the completely abstract, and working in whatever medium the work demands.  She has produced work from the tiny to the monumental, and everything in between, and has had several solo exhibitions in London and Belfast. She welcomes commissions and visitors to her studio in Victoria Works.

tel       07860 572968

website  www.rachelmcdonnell.com

How long have you been a resident at VWS?  Since the beginning. It was literally a case of ‘Where would you like your walls to be?’. I moved into Studio 15 as soon as it was ready for me and was there for quite a few years. However, I had my eye on Studio 10 for quite a while, but waited until both my kids were at school (just over 3 years ago), before moving in. It’s a great space!

When did you decide that you wanted to be an artist or maker?

I must have been about 3 years old. My parents were both picture restorers as well as painters, so I grew up in a corner of their studio. It was really my parents who taught me the technical stuff, although I did do an art foundation course. Since I didn’t really enjoy the course, I decided to study something entirely different at uni. However, even when doing something else, I knew that I wanted to go back to painting. It transpires that you quickly lose technical skills if you don’t use them regularly so, after my studies, I supported my painting skills through having mentoring as well as taking various courses.

What’s your work routine if you have one? What does a day in the life of Studio 10 look like?

Because life sometimes interferes, I want to take advantage of every moment when I’m here. I typically work straight though from 9am to 2.30pm without a break. I generally work on several paintings at once. Although I have a broader plan, often I completely forget it. Recently, I’ve wanted to do more plein air paintings featuring woods and capturing real colours. I have stuck to my plan this week, but often I am just spontaneous. The mix seems to work for me.

Briefly describe your creative process.

I use lots of sketchbooks which I take along to the ‘Walking the Land’ group that I belong to. I’ve found it beneficial being part of this group, and the work I have done during these walks has infiltrated into all my work. I do drawings, watercolour paintings and take photos while walking, and then sometimes things happen from this. I mainly use oil paints but use different mediums and styles within my paintings, which are covered with thin glazes. I do have a clear intention of what each piece will be, but sometimes I still change my mind.

What is your favourite material or tool to work and why?

These spiky old brushes that most people would chuck out! I also have some pots full of my dad’s brushes, which I had to soak before I could use them as he didn’t always look after them! I like their character and it’s nice to use his brushes to still feel connected with him. I also love interference paint and I had one specially made and sent from the States as they only did the gold shade in acrylic rather than oil paint. It was quite exciting when I received the parcel.

What’s your inspiration / main theme currently? 

I am currently focused on landscape paintings with an environmental theme. When I started with the walking group, I was doing abstract dot paintings. They were easier to do when the children came along; being looser in style I was able to complete them in the limited time that I had available. Following mentoring, I went back to my original love of doing landscapes.

My whole family is very interested in environmental issues; my husband is an environmental lawyer, and my daughters feel quite strongly on the subject. My more recent paintings have a strong message without being too ‘in your face’ or doom-laden. They reflect the beautiful environment while also making people think. This theme really came about when I got involved in a call for artists in response to all the trees that were destined to be destroyed for HS2. When I visited the site, I found it so much more shocking in reality - the tree planting mitigation felt like a fundamental misunderstanding of the value of the ancient woodland. As a response to this, I have been doing paintings of a beautiful piece of woodland and I then spray an area using tree- marker paint to show destruction, creating a startling and shocking effect.

What’s your favourite painting of your own and why? 

It changes - I tend to like the more recent things. I like this one (see image) of a cluster of trees as it set me off in a new direction and opened doors. I used a new technique using glazed layers, which I then worked into with the paint.

What do you find beneficial about being part of a community of artists?

It’s just nice to exchange ideas and experiences. Being an artist can be quite lonely, but that’s not the case here. There are opportunities to interact which results in different ideas. It’s nice to talk with like-minded people, and you can choose to open or close your door.

How has the pandemic changed your artwork and working processes?

At the time, I had had a year and a half with both kids at school and was starting to build up artwork for exhibitions, so, what with the home-schooling, it really slowed everything up. However, those challenges just make you hungrier and really think how to use the time available.

What is the most useful advice you have ever been given?

I can’t think of anything specific, but when doing my art foundation, one of my painting tutors became a good friend. He was a talented painter with a huge compendium of knowledge and taught me to echo the little voice at the back of my head. This made me really think what I wanted to do and then go for it.

He also said; ‘By all means, enter lots of competitions, but don’t take it to heart either way’, in other words don’t measure yourself by this.

And finally, if you had to spend the day in different room or studio at VWS, which one would it be and why?

Although I’m mainly a painter, I do like to try other mediums. I would quite like to have a go with ceramics and printmaking, but I think it would have to be Mandy’s studios with her amazing silkworks.