Bridget Bailey returns to Chateau Dumas again in 2020 to teach a flower making workshop. She’ll show students how to manipulate materials to create perfectly sculpted pieces. We caught up with her last week and found out a bit more about her background and processes.
What inspired you to become an artist and what influenced you as you started your journey?
I grew up in the country and spent lots of time on the moors looking for weird and wonderful caterpillars, or beach-combing for shells. My elder sisters were always better at finding things than me, and I developed a passion for nature and collecting, maybe as a way of trying to catch up. We were always encouraged to do creative things and mum was always drawing and painting. She was a passionate gardener and found wonderful ways of combining her interests in her work, which I still find inspiring.
How did you get to where you are today?
From a background in textiles I made pleated fabrics and sold scarves to Liberty before a career in more commercial millinery making hats for clients from Jean Muir to Saks Fifth Avenue, In the last ten years I’ve started to work more as an artist and it’s taken some time to discover what I want to say with my work - when there isn’t a customer to please, a colour to match or a big order to get out.
Can you tell us about your process? How do you get from idea to finished piece?
I do lots of quick making experiments and because things often look better in my mind I need to get that idea out of the way and move on to a better one. Consequently, I have a mass of boxes full of tests, trials and samples which I look at like a dictionary of techniques and materials or a three-dimensional sketchbook. My other inspiration is my iPad which is bursting with photos of things that inspire me.
What have you been inspired by recently?
Although it was pretty intense, I’ve recently finished listening to Darwin’s Origin of the Species audiobook. I’d love to be thought of as some sort of textile and millinery Darwin; exploring nature, recording and translating what I learn into materials and making.
Do you have a favourite piece of work from your collection?
The rose and thorn headpiece was a milestone because it represents contrast and thoughtful quality of ideas I look for in my work. I want my pieces to tell a story about ideas as well as have intriguing use of materials.
Do you have any encouraging advice?
Allow yourself to be truly inspired so that it feels worthwhile to do all the practice you need to make your ideas become as good as they can be.
