This is the first time I’ve collaborated with another artist and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with a neighbor, friend, fellow mother (to two little ones about the same age as my kids) and truly gifted artist.
I met Bridgette last fall shortly after we moved into our new home; I think she may have actually been the first person I met on our block. We were walking to the block party as she was headed home; in those brief, first moments, I knew we’d have a lot to talk about!
I can’t express how much I value being able to talk to someone who just gets it. Who can relate to balancing the business side of creative work to actually finding the time to create that work and knowing what it’s like to have issues with the creative process. All while being a stay-at-home mom and, at times, being fully consumed by figuring out all things kid-related; from figuring out the complex Chicago school system, activities for the kids, and all the day-to-day kid stuff.
Over the last year we’ve met up numerous times so our kids could play together and we could fit in a few words here and there:) While having complete conversations in the midst of chasing kids is next to impossible, we did manage to fit bits and pieces of ideas together about collaborating on a project.
Bridgette’s work is typically nature based but she’s been wanting to work on a more urban series of paintings. Much of my work is urban based so I shared a few of my images with her and from there she takes my image and works her encaustic magic!
The first image in the series was taken earlier this year on a photowalk I did in the Fulton Market area. I had wandered off from the group unexpectedly and came across an area under the train tracks with a bunch of different graffiti. This stenciled message was one of the first I saw in the area and I just loved the message. It just makes you think, doesn’t it? And the rocky rubble framed it perfectly, like it was just waiting to be seen.
So, here I share my actual photo and below that is the stunning painting created by Bridgette. I still don’t fully understand encaustics but the texture and glowing quality you see in her painting is beautiful!
Hopefully Bridgette’s description and explanation of her process helps you understand a bit more: