Margaret Bridgeford
Gaylene Moor
- Sitter: Margaret Bridgeford
- Medium: Oil on Canvas
- Dimensions: 92 x 122 cm
- Representation: The artist represents themselves
- Category: Sylvia Jones Prize for Women Artists
About the artwork and sitter
Margaret Bridgeford’s motto is “Let nature be the doctor”. She is the author of ‘Eat … Think … Heal’, a book revealing her family’s journey from cutting edge industrial farmers to her personal realisation of the direct powerful connection between our soils and our human health. Her formal training includes psychology, business, leadership and vibrational healing.
“I wanted to capture the rich vibrance of her personality and connection to the earth through bold colours and patterns, strong facial features and visibly hard working hands.
Brisbane was our first point of contact with Australia and encapsulates all that is progressive, culturally rich and economically flourishing in Australia. Close friendships in the city, its rich diversity and close proximity ensure connections remain strong.”
About the artist
Gaylene Moor graduated with an honours degree in Fine Art and a Higher Diploma in Education in South Africa in 1990 and immigrated to the Sunshine Coast in 2015. She became an art teacher, and is now solely focussed on her own art . She mostly does portraits and works in oils.
“I used a bright orange primer to increase the warmth and vibrancy of the piece and combined both wet in wet paint techniques with glazing and layering.”
Behind the scenes
This work is the culmination of the past six years in which I returned to the studio and re-engaged in an art journey long neglected. This is the largest portrait I have ever attempted and set it as a personal challenge to explore all that I have learned about myself and my capabilities since immigrating to Australia from South Africa.
I used a bright orange primer to increase the warmth and vibrancy of the piece and combined both wet in wet paint techniques with glazing and layering. My favourite part was painting the blue flowered scatter cushion and the hands which tell a story in themselves. I am honoured to be selected as a finalist in the Brisbane Portrait Prize.
