Lindy Bishop

Lindy is a self-taught 21st century American contemporary impressionist painter with a subject concentration on rural landscapes in a variety of US locations and around the world. Her distinctive style stretches the boundaries between realism and abstraction with elements of whimsy and an expressive contemporary sense of color and shape. Born and raised in the Traverse City, Michigan area, Bishop’s work explores wholesome themes inherent in the land and people of rural areas wherever she may be— in her homeland surroundings of freshwater lakes, rivers, orchards and farm fields and in small towns across the globe. The sense of well-being projected in her work has made it a choice for many hospitals, hotels, airport and corporate environments as well as in homes.

Bishop’s artistic journey began as a kid in a big family parented by an artist Mom and a teacher Dad—where making things with words, paintbrush or music was considered part of a day well-spent. Her painting didn’t blossom however until later, after a life-changing travel experience to Uganda and Kenya in 2008. There she worked with kids and returned to the US (Lake Forest, Illinois at the time) to paint several portraits and scenes for her first gallery exhibition. Another early influence was the opportunity to paint with the late Swedish born artist, Lars Birger Sponberg, while living in Lake Forest. In the art world at large, Lindy especially looks to artists David Hockney, Wayne Thiebaud and the Canadian Group of Seven for inspiration and reflection.

Bishop’s process starts whenever something catches her eye because of color, shape, light or narrative. Often these sightings are captured through her photography and later painted in studio and other times painted or sketched en plein air while immersed in a farm field, woods or body of water. Her use of different mediums from oil paint to oil stick, acrylic, markers, crayons and graphite along with a variety of tools and brush sizes creates playful compositions with depth.

Collaboration with other artists has been an important component of Bishop’s development through weekly zoom meetings and art residencies with two other American artists, Rachael Van Dyke and Jodi Ferrier. These exchanges of ideas and shared experiences rub off in a way that positively promotes experimentation and productivity. Lindy also shows up in the art world through active participation in art talks, shows, outings and leadership organizations as well as smaller intimate groups of artist gatherings.

Bishop’s work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions and galleries, primarily in the Midwest United States. Through her work she hopes to inspire hope and empathy as she continues to explore the world.