Since graduating from a Fine Art degree at Nottingham University just 4 years ago, Margie Andrew- Reichelt has proved herself to be a fascinating and innovative watercolourist and ceramicist. She has been shortlisted for both the Threadneedle Prize (2013) and the Sunday Times Watercolour Competition (2015), as well as more recently having 2 works shortlisted for this year’s Jackson’s Open Painting Prize. Both shortlisted works were large scale watercolour portraits of her children, and dealt with the notions of identity that young people face growing up in today’s cultural and societal climate. Watercolour is a medium of contradictions with the ability to look delicate and watery or striking with vibrant splashes and spills, and so seems the perfect medium for Andrew-Reichelt’s portrayals of both vulnerability and strength.
‘Monochrome’
Margie Andrew-Reichelt
Watercolour on paper, 2016
Lisa: Congratulations on having not one but 2 works shortlisted for the Jackson’s Painting Prize! What was the inspiration behind the two paintings, ‘Monochrome’ and ‘Shield’?
Margie: Thank you, it was a great boost to my confidence to have the paintings selected. Both ‘Monochrome’ and ‘Shield’ are literally ‘portraits’ of conversations with my then teenage children. Conversations about the society they are growing up in, their hopes and fears are what I tried to illustrate rather than their likeness.
Lisa: How do you go about developing your ideas for paintings? Do you make a lot of preparatory sketches/studies?
Margie: As soon as I have an idea I take hundreds of posed photos, which I print, cut and collage until I am happy with the composition. I will usually draw over these or make notes about colour, medium etc., then dive straight onto the canvas with pencil, where I then sketch an accurate outline before adding paint. It’s during the painting stage that puddles and drips bring up new ideas and the painting can change dramatically from the original composition.
Collaged study for painting
Margie Andrew-Reichelt
Mixed media on paper, 30x21cm
Lisa: You work on a very large scale for watercolour! How do you manage to control the medium?
Margie: I don’t control the medium, the medium tends to dictate its own outcome! The unexpected textures and marks that appear when the paper is completely dry can never be predicted. I know I have to be prepared to accept that the finished piece may not resemble what I hoped, none the less I am never disappointed. It enables me to let go and embrace what can initially appear to be a failure, nevertheless masking tape and a very large brush can help the process of control!
‘Being Rosa’
Margie Andrew-Reichelt
Watercolour on paper, 86x104cm 2015
(Sunday Times Water Colour exhibition)
Lisa: What sort of paper do you like to work on?
Margie: I use Fabriano watercolour paper 300gsm, which is heavy duty enough to handle multiple soakings from my many layers of watercolour paint. I buy it on a huge 5x 33ft roll, which is perfect for my large paintings.
Lisa: You are known to work with clay as well as watercolour; how important is it to experiment and work with different materials in your practice?
Margie: Many years ago I studied ceramics as well as textiles alongside Fine Art and I find these mediums as exciting as painting. Like many artists I am interested in all the arts and find that using new materials helps keep my work fresh and stops me getting bored! I am always wondering if the painting I am working on would translate much better with another material!
‘Ova Continuum’
Margie Andrew-Reichelt
Clay, 50x32cm, 2014
Lisa: How often are you able to find time to paint?
Margie: I am extremely lucky that I have a studio at home. I tend to paint at least two full days a week and I am continually in and out of the studio adding to paintings and generally eyeing them up!
Lisa: What work of art from your career to date are you most proud of and why?
Margie: My sculpture ‘100 Heads All The Same But Different’ which was selected for the Threadneedle Art Competition in 2013 at the Mall Galleries in London, is the piece I am most proud of. I had just graduated from Nottingham University and it was the first competition I had entered. Being part of such a prestigious exhibition at the start of my career was a huge boost to my confidence. To top things off, during the exhibition, journalist Jon Snow chose my piece to do his ‘critics choice’ talk on!
‘One Hundred Heads, All The Same But Different’ (far left of image)
Margie Andrew-Reichelt
Clay and wood, 220x52cm, 2013 (2013 Threadneedle Exhibition, Mall Galleries London)
Lisa: Which artists do you admire?
Margie: My favourite artists are Chris Ofili for his hard hitting subject matter and his beautiful use of colour (and he uses glitter!). Louise Bougoise is a favourite for her multiple use of mediums and searingly honest autobiographical works on birth and love, I especially love her soft full body sculptures and tapestry heads. Contemporary artists Njideka Akunyili Crosby for her amazing huge collage and masterly painted canvases and Mandy Payne, who manages to make her brutalist buildings on concrete full of atmosphere and beauty. Jean Michele Basquiat is my all time favourite artist. He was so prolific in his short life and the work looks so vibrant and I feel his subject matter is still relevant today.
Lisa: What are you working on at the moment?
Margie: I am experimenting with different surfaces whilst working on a series of small watercolours on wooden board for an exhibition next year. This is quite exciting as I have had to change the way I lay down the paint and be mindful of the amount of water I use as the paint bleeds into the wood grain in a completely different way to paper.
‘Boxed’
Margie Andrew-Reichelt
Pastel on paper, 80x104cm, 2015
Lisa: Where online or in the flesh can we view more of your work?
Margie: You can see more of my work via my website: margiereichelt.co.uk and on my instagram page reichelt1
‘Joseph and Grafter’
Margie Andrew-Reichelt
Charcoal and pencil on paper, 80x70cm, 2015 (Derwent Drawing Exhitibition, Mall Galleries London)
One of the most awesome talented woman, I have the
Privilege to be friends with& have worked with. X