Rhéni Tauchid is a practicing artist, part of the product development team at the Canadian paint company Tri-Art, and author of The New Acrylics. With the launch of her new book, New Acrylics Essential Sourcebook, I asked Rhéni a few questions about some practicalities behind her art in what seems to be a very busy life.
How many paintings did you finish a month, on average over the past year or so?:
The past few years have been heavy with book writing and child rearing, but I have some time on my hands now and painting is becoming a priority again. When I work on paintings I work on a rotating series. Some are finished in a day, some not resolved in a few years, it's a process.
What is your all-time favorite acrylic medium, and why?:
Gloss gel. I use so many other mediums, my favorites trade places and fight for top spot, but when I open a bucket of gloss gel, it's like coming home again. I know this stuff so well, have worked with it through so many different expressions, and I still find it inspirational and indispensable.
How many brushes do you typically use when working on a painting?:
I will go through a vast amount of brushes when painting. Often I will use as many brushes as I put out on my work area. There are always at least two large colour shapers, a dozen or so taklon flats, some beat up bristle brushes and a variety of wash brushes and detailers. As I do a lot of dry brushing in my work, I'm always looking for a dry brush! So if it's within my reach, it gets used. I also use a great many palette and painting knives. The bigger, the better!
How did you end up in product development at Tri-Art?:
The short answer to that is that I married into it... but it's actually more complicated than that. Tri-Art started at the back of an art supply store, and I worked in that store. I have been affiliated with the company in one way or another since it began in the mid 90's. I have been testing the product from the very first batch and still continue to run tests and work with the development team on new and existing products.
Are there any courses someone might do if they'd like to get into development?:
Acrylics are a modern product, and being made up of raw materials that are ever-evolving, there is always more to be learned and explored. I believe that it is imperative for artists to have knowledge of the mechanics of their materials. Having a combination of fine art and chemistry knowledge would give people seeking work in the art materials field an advantage.
What would people be most surprised to learn about you or your painting?:
That I have a tendency to stand on my paintings, throw them around, etc. Not because I don't care about them, I am simply confident in the resilience and durability of the painted acrylic surface. The stuff is tough. What else? In each of my paintings there is usually a fingerprint, hand print or hair. What was once accidental is now intentional. These are my subtle signatures, evidence of my process and my person.
