Rachel Pedder-Smith is one of our newest Bridgeman Studio artists. Chosen for our April Artist of the Month, we profile her work and inspirations as part of our Bridgeman Images Features Page.

Below, Rachel answers some of our nosy questions about her artistic work:

Magenta Flower Line, 2012

 

What is your earliest memory of an artwork and who was it by?

I was always surrounded by artwork as a child in my family home so it is hard to pick something specific from the walls. Stanley Spencer’s St Frances painting is probably the one which sticks in my mind the most from my early years. My art teacher suggested that I look at his work and I thought that painting was amazing, I copied it in oil paints and I still have the copy. Later my father took me to the Tate Britain to see some of his other pieces.

 

What is your favourite time of day to be in your studio?

Probably the beginning of the day, say 9.30am when I have the whole day in front of me.

 

Talk us through a day in the life of Rachel Pedder-Smith. What’s your routine?

Fairly boring really, I get my child dressed and my partner takes him to nursery at 8. I then have a shower and eat breakfast looking at emails. I normally sit down to paint at about 9-9.30. I listen to documentaries on 4oD while working, or the radio. Have lunch at about 1pm and then paint until the light fades or 5.30 depending on which is earlier. I do a few house jobs, then collect my child from nursery at 6.

 

How would you sum up your practice in 5 words?

Careful, precise, time-consuming, nature- based, realistic.

Afzelia Africana, 2005 (watercolour on paper)	Peony Specimens, 2011 (watercolour on paper)	Large Gourd, 2005 (watercolour on paper)

 

You mentioned previously that you like to take inspiration from seasonal plants and flowers on your daily runs. What else inspires your work?

Just that really: looking around at the plants and flowers and thinking that would work really well in this or that painting.

 

What has your most exciting commission been to date?

It's not a commission but when Shirley Sherwood the botanical Art collector bought two pieces from the RHS show in 2001 that was particularly exciting.

 

What did you spend your first art-sale pay check on and how did you feel?!

Hmm....I'm a bit of a saver I'm afraid so I have never gone out and bought something particularly with art money, in fact I am more likely to save it as it is more ‘special’ than my teaching wages. Earning money from paintings is an absolutely amazing feeling- to think that you started with a blank piece of paper and what you did to it made it worth much more- its great.

 

Working indoors or outdoors?

Inside

 

Spring flowers or autumnal leaves?

Spring flowers

 

Your work is incredibly detailed. How do you retain such control when using watercolour, a notoriously difficult medium to master?

There are certain techniques you can use to make it a very controlled medium such as a very small paintbrush and a using the paint in a very dry way.

 

Which other artists, dead or alive would you choose to have dinner with?

It would have to be someone who I could have a good chat with and actually enjoy the dinner so probably someone I have met already and I know is down to earth such as John Monks, David Farrer or Nina Murdoch.

 

What brought you to Bridgeman for the licensing of your artwork?

You came to me!

 

See all of Rachel Pedder-Smith's work available for image licensing here

Herbarium Specimen Painting sheet 3, 2006-2009 (watercolour on paper)