Bridget's artworks explore aspects of nature that are often perceived as ordinary, and uncover a world of surprising and unexpected beauty. We see revealed, the hidden growth-rhythm of a tussock of grass, and the mysterious colours of a humble earthworm.
Her pieces are inspired by allotment gardening, where the relationships between flora and fauna not only show how nature looks, but how it works as well. These down-to-earth observations, however, contrast with Bridget’s refined making-skills and the lightness of touch that are the signature of all her work.
Bridget’s background is in textiles and millinery, and the materials and techniques that are familiar in those disciplines become intriguing when used in this new context. We see acaca fibre—normally used in hat-making—become a seed-head, while cut feathers become grasses. Traditional skills are also re-imagined to intriguing effect. Intricate binding techniques used in fishing fly-tying create beetles’ legs, whereas tie-dyed threads define the segments of an iridescent dragonfly.
Bridget's work grows from the 'creative compost' of her life as a maker — and her observations as a gardener. The viewer is transported to a place where species and techniques combine and cross-pollinate, and materials become a new language to show the subtle parallels between making and the way nature evolves.
Background: after studying textiles at Farnham, Bridget made her first collection of millinery in 1984 for Jean Muir. She co-founded the respected Bailey Tomlin millinery brand, selling to clients from Liberty, to Saks Fifth Avenue.
Her recent artworks have been exhibited at the V&A, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and her Garden of Making installation was shown at Collect Art Fair, 2023.