Visual Images : Bridget Riley

As apart of out new assignment, we are to collect imagery for the three concept boards that we will be creating.  I am very excited to begin my artist based concept board.  I have chosen to focus it on British artist Bridget Riley.  In the process of compiling visual research, I have become very interested in her work.  

Drawing and painting have been the center of Riley's life since an early age.  She worked as a teacher, a commercial illustrator, and then as a painter.  She gained recognition at her first solo show in spring of 1962 for her optical artwork.

Pause - Bridget Riley 1964 - Emulsion on board 115.5x116

During the time that this piece was created, "Op Art" was just beginning to capture the public's eye.  "The fashion, design and advertising industries fell in love with its graphic, sign-like patterns and decorative value. Op Art was cool, and Bridget Riley became Great Britain’s number one art celebrity."

Royal Liverpool Hospital Installation - Bridget Riley 1983

The above piece was a departure for Riley, due to the fact that it differed greatly from her typical studio work.  It is a photo of one of the murals that she painted for the Royal Liverpool Hospital.  The soft colors act in a balanced and harmonious way, with the intention of creating a relaxing environment.

Cataract 3 - Bridget Riley 1967 PVA on canvas 223.5x222

In the year that this work was created, Riley began to use color more frequently.  She sought to create the illusion of movement through the positioning of the color. After 1967, color became a staple element in much of her optical artwork.