Born in West London to Irish parents, Bernadette Griffin (neé O’Mahony) moved to Streatham in the early 1990s.

A self-taught artist who paints mainly large abstract acrylics, Bernadette has latterly produced more portraits and landscapes; the freedom to go with the flow, the size of canvas or feel of material, often decides the genre and topic. 

Her art conveys warmth, heart and hope because Bernadette usually has a person or people in mind – for example, Southsea Beach was painted for her niece, Beth. ‘The Dreamer’ was sketched at the height of the Ukraine invasion by Russia.

Bernadette usually spends weeks on a piece of art and is not afraid to scrape off or paint over work, if needed. This can lead to a gritty, depth of tone, and the finished result is often a surprise to the artist herself; ‘Can’t See the Wood…’ started off as a seascape for Julia. 

This acrylic painting of Whitstable Bay (now sold, but very limited-edition giclée prints are available), was made in just four hours on a blistering hot day, when she was a ‘Wild Card’ for Landscape Artist of the Year 2022.