1. Bridgett Martin-Pyles THE ARTIST

2. Searching acrylic on canvas 48 x 24 inches 2013

3. Background Born in Ohio No art classes in her elementary school She took art in high school and loved it. Bachelor’s degree in Design/Communication Arts at the University of Cincinnati Master’s degree in Art Education at Syracuse University. Taught workshops and camps for children at museums

4. Background Sold her first piece in Syracuse, NY Student taught in Black Mountain, NC Began showing at Seven Sisters Gallery Has had exhibits with other artists at Red Sky Gallery in Charlotte, NC She has a dog named Tanner and a cat named Salem. She has two kids, a boy and a girl, ages 14 & 17.

5. Mrs. Pyles loves many mediums EXPERIMENTING

6. Outer Banks Pastel on paper, 2001 18 x 24 inches

7. A Path is Given to Me Oil on Canvas, early oil painting 36 x 24 inches

8. Mom’s Sunflowers Acrylic on board, 2007 48 x 36 inches (portion shown)

9. Mrs. Pyles loves to paint outdoors PLEIN AIR

10. plein air studio This is Mrs. Pyles easel with one of her paintings. She uses it when she paints outside so she can have her supplies right on the easel.

11. Mrs. Pyles loves to look at other artist’s works. She also takes workshops from them. INSPIRATION

12. Andy Braitman Tangerine Valley, 2012 Paintings Oil on Canvas 12 x 12 inches partial image

13. Christopher Stephens Stream Oil on panel, 2012 12 x 12 inches Mrs. Pyles’ mentor

14. Betty Anglin Smith Back Island Oil on linen

15. Mrs. Pyles loves to try new things. In the last few years she started trying out abstract painting. PUSHING HER LIMITS

16. Playful Circles acrylic on board 48 x 48 inches, 2010

17. Activity COMPARE MRS. PYLES LANDSCAPE TO THE LANDSCAPE BY MS.O’KELLEY

18. Mrs. Pyles Grazing in the Mountains Oil on canvas 24 x 36 inches, 2001

20. Mattie Lou O’Kelley Georgia Farm Oil on Canvas, 1991 23 3/8 x 31 3/8 inches

22. Georgia Farm [Cows]

23. This piece I photographed in West Virginia. In the middle of the Appalachian mountains, not far from Snow Shoe, is quiet farmland where there are plenty of cows and rolling hills. These are some of my favorite areas to paint. I like to see the layers of land recede into the distance. I have always been interested in cows and how they dot the landscape with patterns and playfulness. This painting is one my earlier oil on canvas. I sold it years ago. –Mrs. Pyles, 2013 interview

24. Mrs. Pyles Grounded in Joy ca. 2011 Oil on canvas

25. I use to live and paint in Asheville, NC. Right down the street from us was a winding road filled with rolling farm land and lots of corn/tobacco fields. When my children were babies (now they are 14 and 17) I would take a break for myself and go off to paint on this road. I took lots of photographs especially at dusk when the sun was creating deep shadows and sharp color contrasts. I painted this scene from one of the photographs a few years ago. I still go up to the mountains to paint, sometimes I paint not far from PSE. There is something magical about going outdoors to paint. The colors and sky scream out so much information. I think this needs to be expressed and presented to the world. That is what painting is for me. --Mrs. Pyles about Grounded in Joy Interview 2013