BETTE RIDGEWAY
Origins
All tones of blue evoke a feeling of serenity and wellness in me. Into the sweeping swaths of blues, we poured greens into the mix; suffusing the image with a dollop of nature. The overall goal in all my paintings is to bring lightness and transparency, thus engaging the viewer to dive a little deeper into the colors beyond. The magenta was the last color added which gave it a special tenderness. I realize that each viewer interprets my work differently. I create the canvas on which they can project, dream, remember, realize and feel enriched or uplifted.
Acrylic on canvas, 48×84 inches, 2019
Bette Ridgeway has exhibited her work globally with over 80 museums, universities and galleries in her four decade career, including Palais Royale, Paris, Embassy of Madagascar, Kobiashi Gallery, Tokyo and London Art Biennale. Prestigious awards include Top 60 Contemporary Masters, Leonardo DaVinci Prize, Rome, Sandro Botticelli Prize, Museum of Florence, Italy and the Oxford University Alumni Prize at the Chianciano Art Museum, Tuscany, Italy. In addition to countless important private collections, Mayo Clinic, University of Northwestern and Federal Reserve Bank are amongst Ridgeway’s permanent public placements. Her work has been highlighted in many books and publications, among them International Contemporary Masters 2010, 100 Artists of the Southwest, Masters of Today and 100 Famous Contemporary Artists. Ridgeway has penned several publications about art and process including Talent is Just the Beginning—An Artist’s Guide to Marketing in the 21st Century, Layering Light and Layering Light on Metal.
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