About Gillian Bedford
Minnesota Landscape Artist
Gillian Bedford lives in the rolling hills of West Virginia. She enjoys painting plein air the waterfalls of Fairmont, her new home and the mountains all around her.
Bedford began painting nature with acrylics while traveling across America. She first settled in northern Minnesota, where she painted the lakes, bogs, red pines, and Tamaracks of the Northwoods. Now living in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia, she has turned her focus to the waterfalls, forests, and ridges of her new home.
Gillian’s paintings, full of color and emotion, have an expressive quality and an abstract nature. She studied painting at Philadelphia’s Tyler School of Art and Architecture. It was there that she developed an understanding for human emotion in her paintings.
While each painting “speaks for itself,” there is an underlying significance that describes the quality of her work.
Scenes from across America– paintings by Gillian Bedford, Appalachian Landscape Artist
The speed of acrylic paint enabled the artist to change up what she was doing quickly, imperative for a traveling artist. This new speed, and the medium's vibrancy, allowed Bedford to improve how she created her many iterations before settling on a final painting. Gillian's paintings, full of color and emotion, have an expressive quality and also an abstract nature. Bedford is an artist who has deftly described the landscapes of America - from the lakes and Tamaracks of the Northwoods to the waterfalls and forested mountains of Appalachia. She has successfully developed her own style with each original body of work.
Bedford is from a very artistic family dating back to Daniel Burnham. Burnham was the chief architect re-designing the city of Chicago after the great fire in the 1890s. At Bryn Athyn College, Bedford studied social science and history. Later, she studied painting at Tyler School of Art and Architecture and began to develop her signature style. It was there that Bedford developed an understanding for human emotion in her paintings. While each painting “speaks for itself,” there is an underlying significance that describes the quality of her work.
Education
- Bachelors of Fine Arts, Painting, Magna cum Laude, 1987 - 1991
Temple University, Tyler School of Art & Architecture , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Associates of Arts, Humanities, Magna cum Laude, 1985 - 1987
Bryn Athyn College, Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania
Continuing Education
- The Business of Art, 2015, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
- Drawing Class, 2004
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA - Figure and Landscape Painting, 1996 - 2007
Abington Art Center, Abington, PA - Various Classes, 2007-2018
Cheltenham Center for the Arts, Cheltenham, PA - Landscape and Abstract Painting, 1992 - 1993
Samuel S. Fleisher Art Memorial, Philadelphia, PA
Solo Shows
- Solo Show, 2024 & 2026
Wild Hare Bistro and Café, Bemidji, MN - Reflections of Home, 2023
Talley Gallery, Bemidji State University, Bemidji, MN - Lake Itasca: True Source of my Inspiration, 2023
Watermark Art Center, Bemidji, MN - Through the Years, 2022
First Lutheran Church, Bemidji, MN - Landscapes and Abstracts from the Northwoods, 2021
Macrostie Art Center, Grand Rapids, MN - Transitions, 2019
Community Foundation, Grand Rapids, MN - Meet the Artist, 2019
Montgomery County Studio Tours Juried Show, Huntingdon Valley, PA - Explorations, 2018
Orchard Artworks, Bryn Athyn, PA - Artful Home, 2017
Orchard Artworks, Bryn Athyn, PA - Windows, 2015
Kol Ami Congregation, Elkins Park, PA - Memories, May 2015
Kol Ami Gallery, Elkins Park, PA - Painting Through the Years, 2014
Swedenborg Library, Bryn Athyn, PA - Recent Works, 2011
Frame House Gallery, Elkins Park, PA - One Person Show, 2009
Frame House Gallery, Elkins Park, PA - Recent Works, Eight Paintings, September 2008
Holy Family University, Philadelphia, PA - Recent Works, Seven Paintings, May 2005
Orchard Artworks, Bryn Athyn, PA - Abstract Paintings, July 2003
Orchard Artworks, Bryn Athyn, PA - Current Works, Twelve Paintings, 2001
Goat Hollow Restaurant, Mount Airy, PA - Invitational Student Solo Show, Ten Recent Paintings, 1993
Samuel S. Fleisher Art Memorial, Philadelphia, PA
Group Shows
- Student Group Show, 2025
Andrew White Gallery, Morgantown, WV - Student Group Show, 2025
Two/Two/Eight Gallery, Fairmont, WV - Holiday Show, 2023, 2024, 2025
Macrostie Art Center, Grand Rapids, MN - Untitled, 2021 & 2022
Watermark Lakeview Gallery, Bemidji, MN - Headwaters Invitational Show, 2020
Headwaters School of Music & Art, Bemidji, MN - Annual Awards Painting Show, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2019
Cheltenham Center for the Arts, Cheltenham, PA - Regional Juried Spring Open, April - May 2019
Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA - Duo Show, 2018
Orchard Artworks, Bryn Athyn, PA - MamaCITA Summer, 2018
Salus University, Elkins Park, PA - Art in Bloom, 2014
Cheltenham Center for the Arts, Cheltenham, PA - Begin: Faith, Hope, Resilience, 2013
Painted Bride Gallery, Philadelphia, PA - Miss Representation, Represent, 2013
Langman Family Gallery Space, Jenkintown, PA - MamaCITA Retrospective, 2013
Pennsylvania Capitol Building, Harrisburg, PA - Begin: Hope, Faith, Resilience, 2012
Painted Bride Art Center, Philadelphia, PA - Spirituality In Art, 2011
Fine Arts Building, Bryn Athyn, PA - Three Generations Of Artists, 2011
Orchard Artworks, Bryn Athyn, PA - ACX Juried Exhibition, 2006
Artists Cultural Exchange, Salon Des Amis Gallery, Malvern, PA - ACX Juried Exhibition, 2006
Artists Cultural Exchange, The Tyme Gallery, Havertown, PA - ACX Juried Exhibition, 2005, 2010
Artists Cultural Exchange, The Cosmopolitan Club, Philadelphia, PA - ACX Juried Exhibition, 2005
Artists Cultural Exchange, Montgomery County Community College, Blue Bell, PA - Three Together, 2005
Academy Of The New Church, Alumni Arts Center, Bryn Athyn, PA - Abington Art Center Annual Juried Show, 2005
Abington Art Center, Abington, PA
Awards and Accomplishments
- Individual Artist Grant, R2 Arts Council, Beltrami County, MN, 2020
- Floral Interpretation, "Ruby and Friends," Art in Bloom, Cheltenham Center for the Arts, 2014
- Second Prize, Artists Cultural Exchange, The Tyme Gallery, 2006
- Third Prize, Artists Cultural Exchange, Cosmopolitan Club, 2005
- Merit Award–Third Prize, Artists Cultural Exchange, Temple Beth Or, 2005
- Rowland Rice Memorial Prize, Samuel S. Fleisher Art Memorial, 1995
Featured Work
- Deedee's Lake, Inside Watermark June Flyer, Watermark Shop, Bemidji, MN, 2022
- Red Pine no. 2, Fall Events Flyer, Macrostie Art Center, Grand Rapids, MN, 2021
- Jazzy Autumn, Fall Events Flyer, Glencairn Museum, Bryn Athyn, PA, 2021
- Ruby and Friends, Art in Bloom Event Flyer, Cheltenham Center for the Arts, Cheltenham, PA, 2014
- Two Together no. 9, Philadelphia Stories, pg. 20, article "Snowfall," by Allessandra Davy-Falconi, Philadelphia, PA, 2013
Presentations
- Landscape Artist Demonstration, Watermark Art Center, Bemidji, MN, 2019
- Lecture, Swedenborg Library, Bryn Athyn, PA, 2014
Teaching
- Headwaters School of Music and Art, Nielson Spearhead Center, Northern Artists, Bemidji, MN, 2024
- Watermark Art Center, Plein Air Landscape Painting, Bemidji, MN, 2022 & 2023
- Glencairn Museum, Plein Air Landscape Painting, Bryn Athyn, PA, 2021
- Headwaters School of Music & Arts, Expressive Landscape Painting, Bemidji, MN, 2020
Collections
In addition to the greater Philadelphia area, Gillian Bedford paintings are held in private collections in California, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New Hampshire, Washington, Sweden, Germany, and South Africa.
Press
Kaxe.org– Area Voices, Gillian Bedford Painter, with Andrew Dziengel, 2023
Bemidji Pioneer– Mother/Daughter Artist Duo to be Featured, Fleur de Lis Art Gallery, Oct. 27, 2021
Rezume Arts Showcasing Artists in Northern MN- Youtube video - at 21:28, 2020
Bemidji Pioneer– Around the Arts, Jan. 11, 2020
Kaxe.org– Area Voices, Gillian Bedford Painter, with Katie Carter, 2019
Bemidji Pioneer– Around the Arts Jan. 4, 2019
The Philadelphia Inquirer– Everyday Objects to Create Abstract Sculptures, Victoria Donohoe, 2012
swedenborgiancommunity - Painting as a Prayer, 2010