Andie Rodwell

Few artistic mediums are better suited to revealing the intricate beauty of the natural world than etching, and few South African artists use the medium as effectively as Andie Rodwell.

Best known for her detailed black-and-white prints, Rodwell creates artworks that encourage viewers to look more closely at the plants, insects and animals that share our environment. Her work combines the precision of scientific observation with the emotional response of an artist deeply connected to the natural world.

A recurring theme throughout Rodwell's practice is the relationship between nature and human activity. Having spent many years living in the bushveld, she became increasingly aware of the fragility of ecosystems and the vulnerability of many species. Rather than presenting overt environmental statements, her prints invite quiet reflection through beautifully observed imagery and exceptional craftsmanship.

Etching remains central to her practice. The medium's ability to capture fine detail and subtle tonal variation makes it ideally suited to her subjects, allowing her to reveal textures, patterns and structures that might otherwise go unnoticed. The resulting artworks reward close inspection, revealing new details with every viewing.

Collectors are drawn to Rodwell's work not only for its technical sophistication but also for its sense of wonder. Whether depicting an insect, bird or animal, her prints remind us that beauty is often found in the smallest and most easily overlooked corners of the natural world.

Andie Rodwell (b.1964) is a Cape Town-based artist and printmaker whose work celebrates the extraordinary beauty of the natural world. Working primarily in etching and other printmaking techniques, she creates finely observed artworks that draw attention to the intricate details often overlooked in everyday life.

After graduating with a National Diploma in Graphic Design from the Johannesburg School of Art & Design, Rodwell spent many years working in advertising and design. A later move to the Limpopo bushveld reignited her connection with nature and became a turning point in her artistic journey. Surrounded by wildlife and vast natural landscapes, she began developing a body of work inspired by the delicate balance between the natural environment and the pressures placed upon it by human development. Today, Rodwell's prints frequently focus on insects, birds and animals, subjects chosen not only for their visual beauty but also for their ecological significance. Her meticulous approach to etching allows her to capture remarkable detail, texture and tonal variation, encouraging viewers to pause and appreciate the complexity of the natural world.

Rodwell is a member of The Printing Girls, a collective of South African women printmakers, and has exhibited extensively in group exhibitions throughout South Africa. Her work is held in private collections and continues to resonate with collectors who value both technical excellence and a genuine connection to nature.

Selected Exhibitions

Group:
2024
“Pressing Matters” – Noordhoek Art Point
“For(sea) Change – AVA, Cape Town
“Uniting the Ink” – Gallery 2, Johannesburg

2023
“Lepus” – RK Contemporary, Riebeek Kasteel
The Printing Girls Annual Exhibition – The Art Room, Johannesburg

2022
“Miniatures in Print” – Gallery 2, Johannesburg
“Things that Live and move” – David Krut Projects, Johannesburg
The Printing Girls Annual Exhibition – The Art Room, Johannesburg
“A sense of place” Lattitudes online

2021
“Mother Nature” – White River Gallery, Mpumalanga
The Printing Girls Annual Exhibition – The Art Room, Johannesburg

2019
“Discoveries from Africa” – Design Africa, Plettenberg Bay

2016
“The Beauty Beneath” – collaboration with Lindy van Hasselt ceramics
Hyde Park Corner, Johannesburg

2015
“Going, going, gone” – Hyde Park Corner, Johannesburg

2014
Open theme, artist’s co-operative – Inyoka Gallery, Limpopo

Solo:
2012
“Ferdinand and the Chevron” – Upstairs@Bamboo, Johannesburg

2010
“Homage” - Upstairs@Bamboo, Johannesburg

Andie has also donated several pieces for auction to raise funds for the following conservation initiatives:
Endangered Wildlife Trust (2015, 2016)
The African Pangolin Working Group (2018)
The Tikki Hywood Trust, Zimbabwe (2019)

Which artists, books or music have inspired your work?
William Kentridge, Philemon Hlungwani and Sam Nhlengethwa
 
Which South African deceased artist do you most admire and why?
Although his work is also termed as a photographic documentary, David Goldblatt’s evocative black and white images of the people, landscape and industry of the mining towns of the West Rand, are for me pure art.

If you could only have one piece of art in your life, what would it be?
Probably a Pierneef woodcut. I see his ‘Bloekombome’ whenever I’m driving on the open road, such an integral part of the South African landscape.

Pick three artists who you would be honored to exhibit with – and why
Although we have exhibited together before, I would choose Laurel Holmes, Judy Woodborne and Theresa Jo Wessels. Judy taught me the foundation of fine art print making and I am in awe of her technical skills and creativity, so sharing an exhibition space would be an honor. Laurel, Theresa and I have connected through a printmaking network as well as workshops, and apart from enjoying print making together I love and admire the work they create.
 
How did you get started? Did you always want to be an artist?
I have always had an affinity for art. It has been with me from childhood doodles, through school, my tertiary education and into the design and advertising industry. It was not until my move to a remote bushveld farm in my forties that I decided to make the leap into the realm of developing my art practice. It was a very freeing (but also a terrifying and challenging) shift of working from the parameters of a client’s brief to working ‘to my own brief’

What are some of the key themes you explore in your work?
Having been immersed in the bushveld from the inception of my art practice to currently living on the urban edge, my work is predominantly nature focused, as this is where I feel most connected and inspired. I am drawn to the vulnerability of species, and the delicate beauty so often overlooked.

What should people know about your art that they can’t tell from looking at it?
I find it difficult to know when to step away from a piece and say it is complete. I have an impulse to step right back in and tinker a bit more, which can prove detrimental by overworking the image!

What are the most essential items in you studio and why?
My etching press - the best investment I’ve made.
My music system because music fuels my creative process

Tell us more about your creative process.
I work from referenced imagery I have photographed over the years, as well as images I take while out in nature (I live close to the mountains and walk there daily). I am drawn to the often overlooked, smaller details in the natural world, and guided by how the subject matter will translate into monochrome as well as how pattern, detail and texture will create impact. I often experiment through sketching, rendering in ink and overlaying on trace paper before committing to the final piece.

The process of print making requires a lot of planning and preparation which I enjoy as it forces me to focus and informs how I go about the rest of my day.
Working with charcoal as a more forgiving medium allows me the freedom to be less meticulous in my approach to a piece. I enjoy the tactile process of smudging, adding, removing and manipulating the material on the paper.

Do you believe an artist should use their platform to influence society? Why?
I don’t think this should be a pre-requisite. I think it’s up to the individual artists to decide if and how they want to be of influence. The arts (art, music, literature, dance, theatre) have a significant and valuable contribution to society, and often reflect society, allowing the viewer their independent interpretation and response, which is the beauty of art.
 
Do you have a favourite or most meaningful work?
I have my grandfather’s journal of pen and ink sketches he drew as a teenager in 1913. Apart from being technically accomplished, he had a talent for caricature. Unfortunately, he never pursued art, but I do remember him enthusiastically encouraging me to create when I was a small child.

What is your greatest achievement as an artist to date?
I’m still creating art!

What are your aspirations for the future?
To never stop learning and improving
To create a body of work worthy of a solo exhibition.
And I’d also like to exhibit internationally.