Bridgett Martin-Pyles THE ARTIST. Searching acrylic on canvas 48 x 24 inches 2013

Bridgett Martin-PylesTHE ARTIST

Searchingacrylic on canvas48 x 24 inches2013

Background

• Born in Ohio

• No art classes in her elementary school

• She took art in high school and loved it.

• Bachelor’s degree in Design/Communication Arts at the University of Cincinnati

• Master’s degree in Art Education at Syracuse University.

• Taught workshops and camps for children at museums

Background

• Sold her first piece in Syracuse, NY

• Student taught in Black Mountain, NC

• Began showing at Seven Sisters Gallery

• Has had exhibits with other artists at Red Sky Gallery in Charlotte, NC

• She has a dog named Tanner and a cat named Salem.

• She has two kids, a boy and a girl, ages 14 & 17.

Mrs. Pyles loves many mediums

EXPERIMENTING

Outer BanksPastel on paper, 200118 x 24 inches

A Path is Given to MeOil on Canvas, early oil painting36 x 24 inches

Mom’s SunflowersAcrylic on board, 200748 x 36 inches(portion shown)

Mrs. Pyles loves to paint outdoors

PLEIN AIR

plein air studioThis is Mrs. Pyles easel with one of her paintings.

She uses it when she paints outside so she can have her supplies right on the easel.

Mrs. Pyles loves to look at other artist’s works. She also takes workshops from them.

INSPIRATION

Andy Braitman

Tangerine Valley, 2012 Paintings Oil on Canvas12 x 12 inches

partial image

Christopher StephensStreamOil on panel,

201212 x 12 inches

Mrs. Pyles’ mentor

Betty Anglin SmithBack IslandOil on linen

Mrs. Pyles loves to try new things. In the last few years she started trying out abstract painting.

PUSHING HER LIMITS

Playful Circlesacrylic on board

48 x 48 inches, 2010

ActivityCOMPARE MRS. PYLES LANDSCAPE TO THE LANDSCAPE BY MS.O’KELLEY

Mrs. PylesGrazing in the Mountains

Oil on canvas

24 x 36 inches, 2001

Mattie Lou O’KelleyGeorgia FarmOil on Canvas, 1991 23 3/8 x 31 3/8 inches

Georgia Farm [Cows]

This piece I photographed in West Virginia.  In the middle of the Appalachian mountains, not far from Snow Shoe, is quiet farmland where there are plenty of cows and rolling hills .  These are some of my favorite areas to paint.  I like to see the layers of land recede into the distance.  I have always been interested in cows and how they dot the landscape with patterns and playfulness.  This painting is one my earlier oil on canvas.  I sold it years ago. –Mrs. Pyles, 2013 interview

Mrs. PylesGrounded in Joy

ca. 2011

Oil on canvas

I use to live and paint in Asheville, NC.  Right down the street from us was a winding road filled with rolling farm land and lots of corn/tobacco fields.  When my children were babies (now they are 14 and 17) I would take a break for myself and go off to paint on this road.  I took lots of photographs especially at dusk when the sun was creating deep shadows and sharp color contrasts.  I painted this scene from one of the photographs a few years ago.

I still go up to the mountains to paint, sometimes I paint not far from PSE.  There is something magical about going outdoors to paint. The colors and sky scream out so much information.  I think this needs to be expressed and presented to the world.  That is what painting is for me. 

--Mrs. Pyles about Grounded in JoyInterview 2013