Toronto-based artist Sandra Rechico will be the artist in residence at Oxygen Art Centre while she is in Nelson. Rechico uses a variety of mediums from drawings to installations which include lighting. While she travelled to Nelson, she took time to answer a few questions from {vurb}.
1.Have you always been a creative person? When did you start taking an interest in art?
I’ve always liked making things.
2.Was there a moment that planted a seed for you to pursue art? What was it?
In my first year of university the most interesting people were the ones in studio classes. That helped me decide.
3. What was your first exhibit like?
Like many artists starting out I had a number of works in various group shows before my first solo exhibition. The first solo exhibition was memorable because I was waiting for work to be returned from Baden Baden, Germany on an armed forces plane. For some reason they held the shipment north of Toronto at the Downsview air base. I thought I would get it back in time but 24 hours before the exhibition was to open it became apparent that would not happen so I ended up making two wall works in 24 hours. They looked pretty good! At the time my interest was in fire (specifically burnoffs from refineries in Alberta) so the exhibition revolved around that.
4. Your art incorporates a variety of different mediums. How did you come to use the ones you use?
I decide upon media based on the idea I have. I think that’s quite common for contemporary artists today to find something that suits their idea instead of feeling tied to one thing.
5. What inspires your work?
I think inspiration is a tricky term, as it implies that type of “eureka” moment when everything becomes clear. That is a Hollywood movie artist. I think making work is a bit more of a slog than that. Typically I research topics and mess about in the studio with a variety of media until something starts to gel. Then I create a bunch of work (a lot of it doesn’t make it out of the studio). After that I assess what I have, and decide what can be put out there for people to see. The ideas come from what I am researching at the time, and the overall evolution of my practice is part of it too.
6. How do you feel about your artist in residence position at Oxygen?
I’m excited about it. I’m asking for people to take me on walks that I will then make a visual response to. Hopefully I will come up with some good ideas from what people tell and show me. People can email Oxygen Art Centre info@oxygenartcentre.org to book a walk.
For more information on Rechico visit her website at sandrarechico.com