I sign my paintings ‘‘JBChicoine’’ but otherwise I’m known as Bridget Chicoine. I was raised in a family of seven children in Amityville, Long Island, New York during the 60’s and 70’s. Aside from basic art classes in high school, I'm a self-taught artist. I received my first set of ‘real watercolors’ from my father for graduation, and thereafter briefly attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan. However, by the early 80’s I had begun raising a family and pursued art only intermittently at first, but as my results improved (and my time freed up), so did the frequency of my painting. My remarriage in 1990 to my husband Todd, also an artist, gave the most impetus to my desire and ability.
          I have relied mostly on instructional watercolor books, and trial and error.  The only art related class I’ve taken was Basic Design. In fact, inadvertently I ended up taking it twice; probably one of my better mistakes. I should also mention that I have won a few awards over the years. Receiving positive feedback has given me the confidence to broaden the exposure of my work, and build my own Website.
           I started off with the idea that watercolor paintings should be loose and flowing, very light and ethereal. The more I tried that approach, the less I liked to paint. My paintings always felt unfinished and I found myself needing to add mote detail. So, I just gave in to my compulsion. Consequently, painting portraits seems to me a natural transition from my still life works. I prefer to paint my subject engaged in whatever they enjoy; I find more pleasure in the process and the finished work is more meaningful to them. I also enjoy the challenge of painting varied textures; glass and textiles are my favorite.
            Generally, I work from photographs: The project starts with a subject or setting I like, I arrange it where the lighting will be interesting, and take dozens of photographs from various angles. I enjoy sifting over the different compositions and look for the most appealing arrangement, taking into account the small scale that I prefer to work in. I like the challenge of painting with meticulous detail using fine brushes to which my small scaled work is well suited.
            Currently, I live near Lake Huron in Michigan with Todd, renovating yet another old house, and painting when I can clear away the debris and sawdust. When I'm not involved with a painting I working on various writing projects.