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27th September 2018

British artist Bridget Davies spent her early career working in the fashion industry in Milan, after studying fashion and textiles. After several years, Davies returned back to her home country and to her first love – painting figures and illustrating fashion. Nowadays, Davies works out of her studio in Kent. As well as creating original artworks, Davies also sells greeting cards and framed prints via well-known outlets such as John Lewis and The Shard.

The fascination Davies has with fashion and the human form is clear from the paintings we have on display at The Athenaeum. In one painting called Belle of the Ball, a gathering of men and women is depicted. It’s a black tie event, with the men dressed in formal suits with bow ties, while the women are wearing extravagant evening gowns and ornate hats. Depicting the ageless beauty of the 1940s and 50s, the artist uses the detail of women’s fashion to create a scene and a story that you feel you’re being let in on when viewing the painting.

In another striking painting, a bold image of a woman appears suspended in the centre of the canvas. With a mystical quality as if in the moonlit sky, the black and white depiction of this woman with ageless beauty is emboldened with her rich red lipstick.

Another eye-catching piece is that of a woman in a black dress and high heels crouching down in a model-like pose. The focus is on the form of the body that gives a feeling of elegance and fine beauty. Again, the only colour in the painting is the rich red of the lips.

Davies says she imagines colour and ink dancing on paper as she paints, and this is clear in each and every piece of her work. Whimsical, glamourous and depicting the sophistication of a bygone era, this artist’s paintings tell stories that every viewer wishes they were a part of.

Dine with us at Galvin at The Athenaeum and enjoy the artworks of Bridget Davies for yourself.

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