ABOUT BRIDGET
I grew up strongly influenced by art, as my mother was always steeped in some form of creative project, but it was my love of painting that always interested and inspired me the most.
Although life took me in a different direction and I spent 35 years in our family engineering business, retirement finally gave me the opportunity to follow my dream and become a full-time artist.
Rather than studying art formally, I spent two years teaching myself a wide range of techniques and materials, developing a style that feels natural and true to me.
Exhibiting My Artwork
I regularly exhibit from my home galleries in Wrington, North Somerset and Bude, North Cornwall for both open studio events (such as North Somerset Arts Week, and Cornwall Open Studios) and daily visitors.
Typically, my gallery in Bude is open in the afternoons through Spring, Summer, and early Autumn. I regularly update my opening times through my social media accounts.
Our Bude home is one of the original Mariners cottages built in the early 19th century and is superbly positioned within 100 yards of Summerleaze Beach. It has outstanding views looking across the beach and out to sea.
My gallery in Wrington is open by appointment – please contact me here, or via email: bridget@bridgetwinterbourne.co.uk, or phone: 07736068323.
Local Inspiration
Today I divide my time between North Somerset and Cornwall, where the coast, countryside and changing seasons provide endless inspiration. I love painting dramatic seascapes, quiet woodlands, wildflower meadows and hidden corners of the landscape that often go unnoticed.
Natural Environment
Much of my work begins outdoors. Walking, sketching, photographing, and painting on location allows me to capture the ever-changing light, weather and atmosphere that make every place unique. Back in the studio, I develop these ideas, creating paintings that reflect not just what I saw, but how the place made me feel. My goal is to produce work that captures the beauty of nature, and that reminds us of the things often taken for granted in our increasingly busy lives.
My love of nature and passion for the outdoors, means that I am outside walking the many coastal and inland footpaths regularly, immersing myself in the surroundings, and being open to inspiration for future pieces of work.
I hope that my work encourages people to slow down, reconnect with nature and see familiar places through fresh eyes.
The Process
I work intuitively with watercolour, acrylic inks, acrylic paints and oils, onto textured surfaces, embracing movement, texture and vibrant colour. When using watercolours and acrylic inks, my colour choices are quite intense as I often apply them directly from the bottle or tube, which gives my work the vibrancy I aim for. Whereas, I will sometimes dilute acrylics, or use them alongside diluted watercolours, allowing the colours to mix, achieving wonderful effects. The brushstrokes and marks follow the direction of movement, creating a rhythm whilst working.
I am often asked how I make each of my pieces so unique. The reality is that when nature is your subject matter, it never truly remains the same; every sunset and cloud formation, every wave that breaks, is ever-changing, and that is something that I wish to emulate in my artwork.
To create the depth and intensity that you see within my work, for example to produce an exciting sky, I allow the flow to happen by letting paint move on the surface. Once the paint dries, it is again made wet, and more layers added – creating depth and dimension.
With each piece of work, I aim to stretch both my own and the painting’s limits which can be challenging and intense. When using mixed media and boldly mixing different materials, the process is exciting as it develops. Even if I am painting the same subject over and over, I will experiment with different techniques and materials to keep the intrigue throughout.
Then comes the review stage. I am hugely self-critical and hold myself to high standards. It is not unusual for me to leave a piece for weeks, or even months, untouched and unseen. When I return to them, I reassess and see if the finished piece is what I had originally imagined. It is time consuming, but it allows me to perceive each piece from a fresh perspective.
Collaboration
Over the years my large amount of artwork has been compiled in two books, Art to Inspire and The Complete Picture. A chance meeting with poet, John Watts, was the catalyst for my most recent book, The Complete Picture. It is a stunning and original creative collaboration, combining my artwork with John’s poetry. He describes my paintings using sublime prose, complimenting beautifully the relationship between the two creative mediums of poetry and painting.
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Bridget Winterbourne
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Bude, North Cornwall
Wrington, North Somerset
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