We catch up with Faye Bridgwater

Q: Hi Faye, it’s so lovely to catch up with you. You’ve been busy creating lots of new work since our last interview and have been involved in a lot of exciting projects. To begin with, tell us all about your involvement in Saatchi Gallery’s ‘Flowers – Flora in Contemporary Art & Culture’ exhibition?

A: Hello, it is so lovely to chat again! And yes, it has been busy but in a brilliant way. When the invitation arrived to be part of Flowers at Saatchi Gallery, I had a real ‘pinch me’ moment. Saatchi has such an incredible reputation, so to be invited back is just blooming wonderful.

The exhibition is a joyful celebration of floral art, with nine rooms filled with artists from all over the world bringing their own take. Some pieces are delicate and dreamy, others bold and expressive. I wanted my work to feel full of life, like flowers dancing in full bloom, completely unapologetic and bursting with energy.

And then came a massive moment. Saatchi Gallery chose my painting as the banner image at the front of the gallery. Seeing it standing tall, welcoming visitors in, is just incredible.

Even more exciting, a little birdie has told me that Flowers – Flora in Contemporary Art and Culture has been so popular, selling out so quickly, that it has been extended into the summer. It is wonderful to see how much people are connecting with it. If you are planning to visit, I highly recommend booking in advance!

For my paintings in the exhibition, I wanted to capture the pure joy of music and dancing. That moment when the crowd moves as one and everything else fades away. That is the energy I wanted in these paintings. Bold, expressive, full of life. Flowers in full bloom.

As I painted, I worked through the rainbow: Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain. The first layers were big sweeping marks, full of movement and instinct. Then as the paintings evolved, my gestures became smaller and more detailed. I also played with printing techniques, letting shapes and textures overlap naturally to add that sense of rhythm and spontaneity.

And then each painting took on a life of its own. Some leaned into deep greens, others electric blues, fiery oranges, or soft pinks. Seeing them at Saatchi’s Private View was really quite incredible.

Q: What other projects have you been working on/involved in?

A: This year I am delighted to be working with Cadogan to dress luxury shopping street, Sloane Street, with 40 beautiful lamppost banners featuring my artwork Hands Up In The Air and Happy State. Sloane Street has recently undergone a £46 million transformation, creating an incredible green shopping boulevard taking inspiration from the 300-year-old gardens at the centre of the street. My artwork nods to this beautiful planning.

Alongside that, I have been involved in all sorts of creative adventures! I taught a class at St Ives School of Painting (such a joy), exhibited in the beautiful Garden Room at Middle Temple in London, which is such a special place steeped in history, and have been giving talks at schools and colleges, which has been really rewarding.

Judging at the Guildford Open was a lovely experience. There was such a great variety of work, and it was wonderful to see how much thought and creativity had gone into each piece and we had the impossible task of judging. I’ve entered lots of open calls in the past so it was particularly fascinating being on the other side of things.

Talking to students has been great fun too. I love sharing my journey and encouraging them to explore their creativity and the best things are their wonderful unexpected questions – What’s your favourite food? Ha brilliant – nachos!

And then there was November Squares which was my truly joyful, global art challenge that brought together creatives from all over the world! Every day, I shared a new prompt, sparking endless creativity, and it was amazing to see how differently people interpreted each one. The energy and enthusiasm were just incredible, and I loved watching the community grow.

It all started with Sketch Squares, my template I created to help people get ideas down quickly without the fear of a big blank page. It has been wonderful to see so many people embrace it, using it as a springboard for daily creativity. Watching the pages fill up with colour, patterns, and playful experiments has been such a highlight!

Q: Have you been continuing with both landscape and floral paintings? How has your style progressed?

A: Oh yes, I absolutely love moving between the two! My landscapes and florals are quite different, but they share the same colour palette, they are like relatives. You can tell they are from the same family, one might be a bit wilder, the other a little more grounded, but they belong together.

I absolutely adore painting, but if I stuck to just one thing, I would get bored. Having both keeps me on my toes, always experimenting and pushing things in new directions. The landscapes are all about sweeping, flowing brush marks, full of movement, while the florals have a more… What are the words… dib dabbiness to them? Ha! Three years at art school, and that is the best I can come up with!

But really, I want my work to feel uplifting and playful. I take painting seriously, probably work more hours than a full time job but I want the paintings themselves to feel effortless, joyful, and easy for people to connect with.

Lately, I have noticed my landscapes becoming more abstract. I have been thinking more about how colours interact, how different shades sit next to each other, and the feeling they create while I am painting. It is a new direction, and I am excited to see where it takes me.

The best part is that my buyers and collectors are on this journey with me. They champion me when I experiment, which is so important as an artist. Knowing that even when the subject shifts, I am not on my own, that there are supporters all around the world, is just wonderful. And with so much time spent in the studio on my own, every Instagram like or comment really does mean a lot!

Q: Tell us what you love most about being an artist.

A: The best thing about being an artist? No two days are ever the same! I love the flexibility of being able to say yes (or no) to projects and following the ideas that excite me the most. And trust me, I have hundreds of ideas! Some are tiny sparks for paintings, others are big dreams, like a contemporary art gallery in Brighton (one day… wouldn’t Black Rock be perfect!).

I keep them all tucked away in my ideas box. Some sit there for years, while others demand my attention straight away. Being an artist means I get to play, experiment, and let ideas grow in their own time, which is such a joy.

Painting has its own rhythm, like the tide coming in and out. I tend to create two or three collections a year, and when the tide is high, I am in full flow. That is when I disappear into the work completely, painting all day, thinking about it all night. Colours, shapes, compositions, it is all I can see. It is exhilarating, almost overwhelming at times, but I love it.

Then, as the collection comes to an end and I am framing, varnishing, and preparing for exhibitions, the tide begins to pull back. That is when I have to slow down, whether I like it or not. When the tide is out, it is time to step away, explore, and rest.

I have learned to trust that pause, to let ideas brew and new inspiration creep in. And then, sure enough, the tide turns again, and I am swept back into the studio, ready for the next wave of creativity. There is a rhythm to it, and I have come to love that ebb and flow.

There is a real freedom in working for myself – but at the same time, I work really hard. From the moment I wake up to the moment I go to bed, my brain is whirring away, thinking about art, colour, compositions, and ideas. It is all consuming… and I would not have it any other way!

Q: What are you looking forward to for the rest of the year?

A: May in Brighton is always such a brilliant time, the whole city just bursts into life. There is the Brighton Festival, the Fringe, The Great Escape… but for me, the highlight has to be Artists Open Houses. This is when hundreds of artists and makers open their homes all over the city, and the whole place is buzzing with creativity.

I absolutely love this time of year. For four weekends, I get to turn my home into a gallery, curating my space and welcoming so many wonderful visitors. My little studio always gets a lot of attention; people do love a good nosy at the creative chaos! I will have brand new originals and greeting cards available too. It is such a joy meeting people, chatting about art, and seeing which pieces they connect with. I will be open the first four weekends if you would like to pop by.

And then—drumroll—Japan! We are off on the trip of a lifetime, and I cannot wait to soak up all the landscapes, colours, and, of course, the incredible woodblock printing. I have no doubt it will influence my work in ways I cannot even imagine yet. I still cannot quite believe it is happening!

And of course, I am looking forward to the simple joys too. Watching the seasons shift, my morning beach walks getting warmer, the first wildflowers popping up in the South Downs, and those awe inspiring sunsets. I am forever grateful to my past self for making the move to Sussex by the sea!