Judith Bridgland Australian, b. 1962

Born in Australia, Bridgland moved to Scotland in 1965 and is now one of the countries most celebrated landscape artists working today. Although only three years of age when she left Australia Bridgland remembers the colours very strongly – the red earth, intense blue sky and the white trunks of the gum trees – all of which she believes she is still looking for resonances of in the Scottish landscape.

Having enjoyed art throughout her early years at school, Bridgland recalls a school project that introduced her to some of the great Masters such as Rembrandt and Van Gogh, this particular memory set the precedent for her career as an artist.

After leaving school at the age of 16, she worked until she was 18 before studying at the University of Glasgow. Once she had graduated she went on to work as a Typist for the next 12 years, spending her spare time painting and sketching at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and the Botanical Gardens. Bridgland began night classes at Glasgow School of Art and once she was finally in a position to leave her day job, she did so and became a painter full time.

Artist Statement

Scotland is one of my biggest inspirations within my paintings, spending time outdoors not only on site but when I am at home is very important. I visit my local parks every day.  Luckily I have two parks and a country estate within walking distance of my studio.  I can also see the Campsie Fells and Ben Lomond from my house.

Although I have experimented with other subject matter in the past, I find landscape the best means to express what I want to say.

Through the exploration of motifs, influences from artists such as Cezanne, Van Gogh, Monet and Joan Eardley and the process of revisiting the same places over and over again. I try to capture truthfulness, what it feels like to be there, you’ve got to be open to what it tells you rather than being prescriptive.  A landscape painting is about an actual place, but it is also a self-portrait.