Pascale Rentsch
"When I`m out in nature and I paint and hear the energy of the waves clashing ... I feel so free"
Pascale Rentsch RSW is an award-winning Swiss-born artist living in East Lothian, where she makes the most of the countryside, hills and coastlines.
She draws and paints En plein air, in all conditions, working instinctively and following her feelings to capture nature and the elements in a spontaneous way.
“I am always moved when painting in nature because wherever I look I feel hope – the skylarks singing high in the sky despite the stormy weather and the light sparkling like gold dust on the shoreline. I carry my art materials in my trusty trolley, weathered by big hills, rocks, sand and even snow. It keeps all my materials together in one place and saves my back from a heavy rucksack.
My setup may look rather messy when painting plein-air, such that I have been mistaken for a fly-tipper many times! However, I always lay the materials out in the same way so that when working fast and spontaneously they are quick to hand. For me, it is important not to follow a rigid plan but to enjoy the freedom of painting by not overthinking, just trusting in the feel of the moment. I never know what will happen or what image will finally appear on my piece of paper. It is a flow of feelings.
When painting in all weathers there are many practical challenges: the wind blowing my paintings across the Lammermuir Hills, low temperatures freezing my paints, and the frequent appearance of the rain in Scotland. But I am not overcoming these challenges to create the perfect image – all of these aspects are incorporated into my journey and channelled into the responsive marks and brushstrokes that I place. It all comes together as an expression of my experience and feelings in that moment.”