About Bridie O'Brien

I am a visual artist and lifelong musician. I was raised on a working farm in country NSW, Australia. Having graduated from the Australian Institute of Music in 1998, my initial focus was pursuing a music career, leading me to numerous cross-continental escapades. Between 2003 and 2005, I earned a diploma in Entertainment Design, specialising in Illustration. Despite being accepted into the National Art School in 2006, I never took a class. Instead, my path diverged towards 15 years of musical endeavours and global adventures, including living on a remote Caribbean island, busking for bread in Scotland and supporting Icehouse's national tour in 2019 playing lead guitar for Do Ri Mi. During my 30’s I spent 3.5 years working at The Art Gallery of NSW as an audio engineer, technically overseeing some of the most inspiring art history lectures of my life. Walking those gallery halls was the start of a profound calling back into the world of visual arts. In 2020, I dedicated myself to studying the natural world through oil painting. I enjoy bringing landscapes to life and painting my travels, employing bold colours and impasto techniques. I have been recognised as a finalist in several national awards, such as The Paddington Art Prize, The Lethbridge Landscape Prize, and The National Capital Art Prize. My works have been exhibited nationally and internationally, including shows in Madrid, Austria, and Milan, and they have appeared on the pages of magazines and album covers. Drawing inspiration from my family's artistic heritage and equipped with the raw experience of life, I finally feel compelled to dedicate my life to painting. I paint in oil, with a palette knife and expressive freedom. I am drawn to abstract realism and contemporary impressionism. I frequently engage in bushwalking and, during winter, I undertake solo camping excursions in the snow. Ever observant and in perpetual pursuit of light, I find unending inspiration in nature. Each of my paintings is akin to a poem, crafted to inspire dialogue, challenge perceptions, and evoke memories. My aspiration is that my work conveys the intrinsic connection between art and the natural world, highlighting their shared roles in fostering connection, innovation, empathy, and emotional tranquillity. My creative journey includes self-directed studies throughout Europe and America.