About Claire Bridge
Bridge is a figurative realist artist, her sensual and at times erotic paintings evoking a beauty and disquiet that invites a deeper contemplation beyond the painted surface and first reading of the work.
Her art explores our connectedness, the invisible and visible entanglements between each other and between humanity and the natural world. Bridge’s recent works traverse contemporary concerns such as climate change and rapid species decline, yet also return constantly to the universal, our yearnings, sorrows, love, impermanence and death through allegorical and symbolic imagery. The subtle nuances of our daily lives, captured in poignant and intimate moments, reveal Bridge’s fascination with our shared experience and at its core the essence of the human condition.
Bridge is interested not just in creating images but in the process of the transmission of Presence through her works. Beyond the image, forms and ideas that the artist is working with, like Rothko, her focus is on the feeling the painting evokes in the viewer.
In 2011, Bridge was a finalist in the prestigious Sulman Prize, has previously twice been selected as a finalist in Australia’s richest art prize, the $150,000 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, won the People’s Choice Award in both the Portia Geach Portrait Prize and Stan and Maureen Duke Prize’s, the latter for which she also won the Living Art award in 2009. Her work is held in public and private collections internationally. Currently living in Melbourne, Australia, Bridge is represented by Tim Olsen Gallery (SYD) Flinders Lane Gallery (MELB) and Anthea Polson Art (QLD).
In 2011, Claire Bridge has been appointed to the role of Visual Arts Advisor for the Cultural Committee of the American Australian Association.
Curriculum Vitae of Claire Bridge
Professional Art Qualifications and Education
2007 Art Study, San Francisco, BACAA Bay Area Classical Art Atelier &
Bronze Sculpture, Fundere, Melbourne
2006 Art Study: New York, San Francisco
2005 Art Study: throughout Paris, Malta and Italy, including: Milan, Venice, Florence, Sienna and Rome.
1998 Diploma of Arts (Illustration), Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE
1991 Bachelor of Arts (Fine Art) Painting Major Monash University
Solo Exhibitions
2010 A Terrible Beauty, Flinders Lane Gallery
2009 Transit Lounge, Maroondah Art Gallery
2008 Beyond Belief, red gallery, Melbourne
2004 Being the Samurai, Linden - St Kilda Centre for Contemporary Arts
Selected Exhibitions
2011 Exchange, Gatakers Artspace, Maryborough, QLD
2011 Safe at Home, CUBE Contemporary Art Projects, SA
2011 Gallery Artists, Tim Olsen Gallery
2011 About Face, Maroondah Art Gallery
2011 Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prize Exhibition, Art Gallery of NSW
2011 Visible / Invisible, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2010 Portrait Show, Anthea Polson Art, Gold Coast, QLD
2010 Net Work, Art Gallery of Ballarat, curated by Amanda Van Gils
2010 Fresh, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2009 Treasures, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2009 Maroondah Life Drawing Exhibition, Maroondah Art Gallery
2009 Anthea Polson Art - Gallery opening
2009 30x40, United Galleries Sydney
2009 20Plus, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2008 Treasures, Flinders Lane Gallery
2008 Exquisite Palette, St. Lukes, Collingwood
2006 Libby Edwards Galleries, Brisbane, Salon
2005-06 Libby Edwards Galleries, Melbourne, Summer Show
2005 Libby Edwards Galleries, Woollahra, Sydney
2003 "SHE - the Spirit of Life" Walker St Gallery
2001 Annual 9"x 5", IAA, Books Illustrated Gasworks
2000 Annual 9"x 5", IAA, Books Illustrated Gasworks
1998 Copelen Chairs Celebrity Art Auction, Zambesi Collins St Melbourne & Georges, Collins St Melbourne
1998 Articula 98, Chapel off Chapel, Prahran
1998 Graduate Exhibition, Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE
1998 Art works II, Brunswick Mechanics Institute
1995 Performance works Tour by Photographer / Performance Artist, Suzon Fuks, video performance by Claire Bridge
1991 Monash University Graduate Exhibition Caulfield Arts Centre
1991 Lucato Peace Prize Monash University
Prizes and Awards
2011 Finalist, Sir John Sulman Prize, Art Gallery of NSW
2009 Finalist, Doug Moran National Portrait Prize
2009 Finalist, R & M McGivern Prize
2009 Winner, Living Art Award, in association with 2008 Stan and Maureen Duke Gold Coast Art Prize
2008 Winner, People's Choice Award, Stan and Maureen Duke Gold Coast Art Prize
2008 Finalist, Mosman Art Prize
2008 Finalist, Doug Moran National Portrait Prize
2008 Finalist, Williamstown Festival Contemporary Art Prize
2007 Winner - People's Choice Award, 2007 Portia Geach Memorial Award
2007 Finalist, The Hutchins Art Prize
2006 Finalist, Portia Geach Memorial Award
2004 Finalist, Conrad Jupiters Art Prize
2003 Winner, Walker St Gallery -Linden Award, presented by Linden - St Kilda Centre for Contemporary Arts
1998 Winner, Dux Freelance Management Dux High Flyers Award
1998 Winner, Deans Art Graduate Illustration Award
1997 Winner, Zurich Insurance Visual Arts Scholarship
Artist Residency
2008-09 Maroondah Art Gallery Studios, Federation Estate
Collections
Maroondah Art Gallery, Federation Estate
Holmes á Court and private Collections, throughout Australia and internationally
Articles
2011 Jane O'Sullivan, Australian Art Collector, This Art Week,
http://www.artcollector.net.au/ClaireBridgegainsSydneyrepresentationwithTimOlsen, July 4
2010 Prue Gibson, Australian Art Collector, "50 things Collectors Need to Know", #51, Jan-Mar 2010, p182
2010 The Arts, The Age, Tuesday September 7 p 15
2010 Phe Rawnsley, Essay, "A Terrible Beauty", August
2010 Georgina Lee, Not Quite Critics blog, A Terrible Beauty, 27 Sep, http://notquitecritics.com/2010/09/27/a-terrible-beauty/
2009 Damian Smith, Essay "Transit Lounge", Curator, Maroondah Art Gallery, April
2009 Patricia Anderson, Australian Art Review, Editor's Choice, May-July #19, p 74
2009 Jim Thalassoudis, In the Real Art World, http://intherealartworld.blogspot.com/2009/04/claire-bridge-until-may-2-maroondah-art.html
2009 Sadie Valeri, Women painting Women Blog, http://womenpaintingwomen.blogspot.com/2009/03/claire-bridge.html
2009 Art Monthly, issue #219 May 2009, Art Notes, p64
2009 "Critical list", Maroondah Leader, March 17, p 54
2009 Jeff Makin, Herald Sun, April 6, p45
2009- Erin Bull, "Natural Talent", Journal, March 17, p 32
2009 Shaun Campbell, "Prank's portrait portent", Maroondah Leader, March 10, p 57
2009 Jane O'Sullivan, Australian Art Collector Magazine, this art week, Artist Milestones, February 10
2008 Jane O'Sullivan, Australian Art Collector Magazine, this art week, Artist Milestones, October 7
2008 Jeff Makin, Herald Sun, Extra 9, Gallery Snapshot, September 29, p 71
2008 National Trust of Australia (NSW), e-news, October 2008 #38, http://www.nationaltrust.com.au/e-news/issue38.html
2008 Danica Harris, Journal Newspapers, Knox, 18 March
2008 Catherine Toffolon, Maroondah Leader, 11 March
2008 OWN Matters, Newsletter of the Older Women's Network New South Wales, Vol.5 No.9 - October
2007 National Trust of Australia (NSW), e-news, 16 November 2007 #27,
http://www.nationaltrust.com.au/e-news/issue27a.html
2006 The Trust Company, Portia Geach Memorial Art Prize, online exhibition,
http://www.trust.com.au/Page.aspx?ID=104
2005 Erin O'Dwyer, In the Frame, The Sun Herald, 23 October, Arts S25
2004 Naomi Cass, Art Monthly Australia, Artnotes Vic, October 2004 number 174, pp 45- 46
2004 Mischa Merz, Herald Sun Weekend,, "Martial artist" August 28, pg 13
2004 Nina Spiess, Outline, IAA, September, pp 4 - 6
1999 The Gazette, "Artist takes her first solo plunge" February 17
MEDIA: Radio, Television, Video & Publications
2011 April 5, Telecast Interview with Lee Martin, My Art Room Online. Approx 1 hour
2008 Kulture Vulture, Joy Fm radio, Monday 22 October
2005 Asia Pacific Focus, ABC, Sunday 23 October
1999 Interview: Arts program 3PBS
1998 Good Morning Australia with Bert Newton, Nine Network, chair appeared
1996 Back drop, television series "Sign On", SBS
1995 "Deaf Artists", thesis on which the video "Deaf Artists" was based, La Trobe University DEET
Fine Art Conservation
98-2011 conservation of fine art paintings, ranging from works of Arthur Streeton, Clarice Beckett, Jeffrey Smart, Emily Kame Kngwarreye, to 17th century European works and 12th Century Russian Icons in association with Virginia Dahlenburg Conservation Services. Conservation of the iconic Melbourne landmark, "The Fairy Tree", Fitzroy Gardens with Penny Byrne.
Artist Talks and Professional Appointments
2011 Artist's Talk, Industry Forum, Visual Arts Degree and Diploma students, NMIT
2011 Industry Teacher, Illustration Diploma, NMIT
2011 Artist's Talk, Visual Arts Diploma students, CAE
2011 Artist's Floor Talk, Animal Magic, Maroondah Art Gallery, Federation Estate
2010 Artist's Floor Talk, "Fresh" Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2009 Opening Speaker, Maroondah Life Drawing Exhibition, Maroondah Art Gallery
2009 Transit Lounge, artists talk, Maroondah Art Gallery
2006 Guest Speaker, "Discussing Self portraits" Public Program, Portia Geach Memorial Award
2005 Opening Speaker, CCS Art Exhibition
02-03 Tutor, (Painting, Drawing, Mixed Media, Illustration for Children's Books) CAE
2002 Life Drawing Tutor, Mullauna College
2002 Life Drawing Tutor, Monash Gallery of Art