Meet the Artist - Vivian Bridges

 Vivian Bridges’ oil painting, “Young Mother and Child,” is an imaginative rendering based on photographs of African villagers she has seen. An accomplished artist, Bridges concentrates primarily on portraits. “I’ve done many of these.

It’s always a challenge,” she says. Her portraits have ranged from family members, neighbors, and bridal couples to more official works commissioned by her church and the local AFSCME labor union.

“Young Mother and Child” is currently on display at the PECO building, 2301 Market Street, as part of Philadelphia Corporation for Aging’s “Seniors Celebrate the Arts” exhibit there this month. PECO is the presenting sponsor for the month-long festivities, which also include an exhibit of senior artwork at the Philadelphia Senior Center, 509 South Broad Street.

The secret to painting a portrait? Begin by lining up the spacial relationships and proportions of facial features, Bridges advises. But, she adds, there is also the more indescribable aspect of capturing personality. “The expression of the eyes is especially important,” she explains. “You have to convey that.”
Africans, like those pictured in “Young Mother and Child,” are among her favorites subjects, and her paintings represent a proud connection to her heritage. While Bridges has never been to Africa, she often uses books and photographs as a starting point for those African-themed paintings she creates.

A graduate of the Philadelphia College of Art (now the University of the Arts), Bridges also teaches painting at the Southwest Senior Center. She joined the center after retiring from a long career with the regional post office.

“Most of the time, I tell my students to just relax, pick a subject they enjoy painting, and don’t be afraid to experiment,” she says. Her students, most of whom are new to art, are often surprised by what they are able to do. Some have told her that the newfound artistic ability they’ve discovered through her class has changed their lives. “It’s very gratifying,” she says.

Bridges’ next creative project? “I’ve been requested by my grandchildren and a cousin to do a self-portrait,” she says with a laugh. It’s a different kind of challenge, but she is planning to oblige them.