Yorkshire Artists - Judith Bromley

Judith Bromley - Yorkshire-based Painter

Profile

"For me the process of drawing and painting is a meditative experience. I paint in order to discover, explore, and express the relationship between my inner being and all that surrounds me - the environment, the world, the universe.

"For many years I have kept a written and visual journal of my life’s journey. The paintings are small watercolours, some tending towards the representational, but most of them having a more symbolic use of line, form and colour. I have begun to develop these little watercolour images using oils on large canvases - coming round again to an exploratory approach, to expressing what ‘makes my heart sing’, layers and levels of experience - paintings from the soul.

"The paintings I am working on this year are the result of spending time up on the moorland around my home. Up on the moor I can expand into the space between earth and heaven, watch the clouds erase and reveal further horizons, feel the strength of the earth beneath my feet, walk over the peaty layers of time . Finding a tiny rare flower in a vast seemingly empty landscape can be an unexpected joy in this land of infinity.Referring to these experiences I am currently using layers of fluid oil paint, which I apply and remove until the final image emerges."

Judith has lived and worked in Askrigg since 1973. Her work varies from large landscapes to small flower studies, and from traditional to a more exploratory approach. Inspired by the contrasts of wild empty moorland and flower filled meadows, high rushing waterfalls and slow reflective rivers, walls encrusted with mosses and lichens, and quiet secretive woods, she uses a variety of media - oils, pastels, gouache and watercolour, to express her deep love of the Dales countryside and all its seasonal moods. Her studies of wild flowers are particularly well known.

Her first book, Step into the Meadow, published to celebrate the 50th birthday of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, was based on a collection of paintings of a traditional Dales haymeadow throughout the seasons. This was followed in November 2003 by Come Down to the Wood, based on a year in the life of a local woodland, and which has additional paintings by Robert Nicholls. They are now working on a third book - Climb up to the Moor.

Judith’s work has been shown regularly in many one-man and joint exhibitions nationally, including the prestigious Painters of the Dales exhibition; and also features in the book produced by the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust – The Yorkshire Dales, a view from the Millennium; and in The Yorkshire Dales, a 50th anniversary celebration of the National Park.

She was a founder member of the Askrigg Group Exhibition, which was held for 25 years during August, first in Askrigg and later in the Dales Countryside Museum in Hawes.

Judith is a visiting tutor at Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre in Birmingham. She has developed workshops and courses which explore the spiritual aspects of creativity - Contemplation & Creation, and during 2001-2 was awarded a Joseph Rowntree Quaker Fellowship, which enabled her to introduce her workshops to groups throughout Britain. In 2009-10 she intends to spend more time painting but has agreed to lead one course each summer...

EXHIBITIONS during 2009/2010

June 20, 21 and 26-28 2009

North Yorkshire Open Studios
An exhibition at Beech House, Askrigg as part of the Open Studios event. The focus of the exhibition will be Judith’s moorland studies which may be used in a future book: Climb up to the Moor.

August 27-31 2009

Walking Creatively
Living in the wilderness, experiencing the elements, and exploring a sense of the spirit.

A creative retreat with opportunities for walking the landscape, drawing, watercolour, clay, pastels, cooking together, gentle body movement, ritual, storytelling, and journalling. An Art and Spirituality Network event.

Led by Judith Bromley Nicholls and John Harley

For more information, further enquiries and to book contact:
E: john.harley@hotmail.co.uk
M: 07985 9000935
W: www.artandspirituality.net (opens in new window)

August 09-13 2010

Body, Earth and Spirit
Spiritual refreshment through movement and art

Through gentle body movements together with art-based activities and a deepening of our connection with the natural world, we will explore ways of accessing enspirited living.