Bridget Aitken

Saskatchewan, Canada

My life and my art are intertwined. The art is telling: expression through a collision of colour, a universe of marks, a contagion of energy, a spontaneous line. Making a painting feels like stepping into the unknown, I am an explorer, hoping, believing that something will happen or that something will be found - that a moment will come when I feel I am almost there. It’s a struggle, a challenge, a letting go. The eye sees more than what is before me; the body knows what to do. 

Art making in one form or another, whether through music or visual arts, has been a constant in my life. I moved from southern Ontario with my young family in the early 1990’s and quickly became involved in drawing, sculpture and painting classes offered through the Extension Division of the University of Saskatchewan. During this time I was a member of The MIX, an artists’ collective in Saskatoon, and also a member of the Prairie Sculptors Association, working with clay, stone and found materials. Collaborations in the making of large cement sculpture and competing for Saskatchewan in snow carving team events during Winter Carnival festivals in Ottawa and Quebec City were a highlight during this period of my art career. I have had the privilege of Anne McElroy’s tutelage through the University of Saskatchewan CertiNicate of Art and Design (USCAD) Mentorship Program as well as numerous classes offered through USCAD. While painting has been my primary focus in recent years, the synergy between the various art forms that I have practised has been important in my development. A twenty year history with an inspiring group of female artists, first at the St. George Studio and currently at The Studio on 20th in Saskatoon, has helped to form the artist I am today. My paintings and sculpture have been shown in numerous group and solo exhibitions within the province and reside in private collections throughout Canada. My husband and I live on an acreage in the sand dunes near Pike Lake with our dogs, cats and horses. We are surrounded by nature and beauty. Inspiration is everywhere.