10 Facts about Bridget Riley

Sunday, August 30th 2015. | Arts

Facts about Bridget Riley tell you about the notable English painter. She was born in Norwood, London on 24 April 1931. Her father is John Fisher Riley. He was a printer from Yorkshire. Her family moved to Lincolnshire in 1938. Now Riley works and lives in the Vaucluse in France and London, Cornwall. Here are some facts about Riley for you:

Facts about Bridget Riley 1: working as an illustrator

Riley worked as an illustrator when she joined J. Walter Thompson advertising agency. Before being a part time illustrator in the agency, she worked in a glassware shop.

Facts about Bridget Riley 2: the exhibition of Jackson Pollock

In the winter of 1958, she saw the large Whitechapel Gallery exhibition of Jackson Pollock. The exhibition affected her style. Find out facts about Brian Patten here.

Bridget Riley 1963

Facts about Bridget Riley 3: the early work of Riley

She reflected the semi impressionist style in her early works. They were figurative.

Facts about Bridget Riley 4: the pointillist technique

Riley used the pointillist technique when she created her works in the advertising agency between 1958 until 1959.

Bridget Riley Facts

Facts about Bridget Riley 5: the opt style

Riley began to develop the Opt Art style as her signature style in 1960s. She explored the usage of black and white geometric patterns. She tried to give the effect on the eyes by using the geometric patterns.

Facts about Bridget Riley 6: as a teacher

Riley was a teacher in the beginning of her career. She worked at Convent of the Sacred Heart, Harrow in 1957 until 1958 as an art teacher. In 1962 until 1964, she worked at Hornsey College of Art, and Croydon College of Art. Look at Facts about Brian Froud here.

Bridget Riley Young

Facts about Bridget Riley 7: the first solo exhibition

Riley had her first solo exhibition in the spring of 1962. The exhibition was handled by Studio One of Victor Musgrave.

Facts about Bridget Riley 8: SPACE

SPACE stands for Space Provision Artistic Cultural and Educational. It was an organization of artist that Riley, Peter Townsend, and Peter Sedgley established in 1968. The main aim of SPACE is to help the artists to get the inexpensive studio space.

Facts about Bridget Riley

Facts about Bridget Riley 9: the black and white paintings

Riley used black and white colors to create her paintings. In 1967, she began to experiment with color. The viewers of her works stated that the opt art painting of Riley made them enjoy the sky diving or seasick sensation.

Facts about Bridget Riley 10: recognition

In 1993, Riley got an honorary doctorate from Oxford. In 1995, she earned it from Cambridge. The first woman who received Sikkens Prize was Riley in 2012.