Whitefish artist featured in Phillips Gallery solo exhibit with meet-and-greet planned
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"Logan Creek" by Sandy Bridgewater, oil on canvas. (Courtesy image)
The artwork of Whitefish artist Sandy Bridgewater will be on display at Phillips Gallery in a solo exhibit titled "The Mountain View" through Aug. 29.
This new collection of contemporary and traditional landscape paintings depicts local scenes from Glacier National Park and surrounding areas in the stunning palette the artist is known for. Bridgewater’s technique prioritizes the effects of light, creating a serene and tranquil atmosphere typical of the Luminism style.
Bridgewater describes herself as a "born creative," with the natural world her constant teacher via plein air painting adventures. She has studied art at the Art Institute of Boston and the Breckenridge Colorado Arts District. She is a member of Oil Painters of America, American Women Artists, National Oil & Acrylic Painters' Society, NorthWest Arts Association, Boulder Arts Association, Glacier Art Museum and Plein Aire Painters of the Flathead.
Her work has been published in magazines such as Western Art & Architecture, Western Art Collector, Art of the West and American Art Collector.
Painted en Plein Air and in the studio with reference photos taken on the trail, Bridgewater said the landscapes in "The Mountain View" exhibit were created with a focus on light, and compelling compositions, using a brush and palette knife to create thick textures in oil paint for added depth and interest.
She said the paintings are intended "to inspire positivity and an appreciation of the awe and tranquility that can be found in nature.”
“Scenes from the backcountry, some places hard to get to, or views easily missed if you didn’t take a second to slow down,” Bridgewater said.
Bridgewater romanticizes untouched wilderness by highlighting wild details in the scene before her, balancing realism with expressive brushwork and utilizing rich, earthy tones cascaded by brilliant light.
The public is invited to meet the artist from 5 to 7 p.m. Aug. 7. An artist's talk is planned at 5:30 pm. The gallery is located at the Kalispell Center Mall, 20 N. Main St.
For more information, call 406-309-2335.