Fascinating Women: Bridgette Guerzon Mills

Meet this week’s Fascinating Woman — Bridgette Guerzon Mills. She’s a wife, mommy, and former Seattle resident now living in the Chicago area. She’s also an artist. She is a painter who also works in encaustics and creates handmade journals. You can browse her encaustic work at www.guerzonmills.com   and see her journals at Amano Books.  She also has an art blog.

Sanctuary © 2011 Bridgette Guerzon Mills

Meri: Bridgette, it always fascinates me to know what life wisdom women have gained that’s important to them. There’s an old saying, “When we know better, we do better.”  So what advice would you give your 10 year old self?

Bridgette: I would tell her how important it is to face her fears. I would emphasize though that being brave does not mean being fearless, but rather being brave means being afraid but doing whatever it is that is scary  anyway.  I have always held myself back because of fear of the unknown, fear of failure, or just plain fear. Knowing that one must not only face their fears, but follow them would have been such a wonderful thing to know early on.  I have come to believe that certain fears are placed in us so that we may face them and learn what we are made of.

Meri: Would you give the same advice to your 21 year old self?

Bridgette: Yes, but I’d also tell her to not let other people or circumstances define who she is.  To not set limits on herself because she is capable of more than she knows.

Beyond Form © 2011 Bridgette Guerzon Mills

Meri: What crucial life experiences have shaped you? What impact do you think they made?

Bridgette: I grew up with a sister who lost her sight due to aggressive chemotherapy treatment when she was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 2.  As the youngest of my family, I never knew her any other way.  From the moment I was able to walk and talk, I was taught to be my sister’s eyes and to help her to see the world.    I believe that that early experience shaped me to be the visual artist that I am today.  Being her eyes sharpened my own sight, heightened my ability to slow down, watch, observe, listen and notice the rich sensory world that surrounds us constantly. 

I became aware of our own human mortality and fragility at such a young age that it deepened my appreciation for life.  I realized early on that life is so short. And within its brevity we need to love hard and appreciate the gift of being alive and having good health.  Life is hard and painful, but it is also beautiful and we must try to live it to our fullest potential.  Not everyone gets that chance.

Holding Moments © 2011 Bridgette Guerzon Mills

Meri:  At this point in life, what is commanding your attention?

Bridgette: As a mother of two young children, ages 4 and almost 2, my children are front and center of my life.  I believe that one of the greatest gifts you can give your children is to be present for them. Not just physically present, but there for them as a guide, teacher, and companion.  My art calls to me though and maintaining that balance between family and work is one that I am constantly attempting.  I have found that when I get my time in the studio, it replenishes me and helps me to be present with my kids when I rejoin them.  It is hard at times to find the energy to get into the studio, but I am always happy that I dragged myself in and put myself to work.  I recently found someone to help me once a week with my kids as I was having such a hard time with meeting deadlines, creating art, and maintaining my sanity.  It was a lesson for me to accept that I really cannot do it all and that it is more than ok to ask for help.

Intentions © 2011 Bridgette Guerzon Mills

Meri: How does the way you’re living life now relate to what you know about your purpose and values?

Bridgette:  For the past 9 years I have been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to focus on my art and to allow myself to grow as an artist.  I have had some really wonderful opportunities come along that have furthered my art and I am grateful for them.  Recently though something within has been a tugging at me, telling me that I need to be doing more.

When I was younger I wanted to save the world.  I could not fathom a career in which one did not give back to the community or the improvement of society.  In college that desire was strong, as well as the need for a paying job, and so I studied Communication Sciences and Disorders with a concentration in Learning Disabilities.  After college I worked in special education for the Chicago Public Schools doing speech and language therapy.  It was tough and I burned out fast, but that desire to connect with others, to make an impact on people who need help has always stayed with me.  This year I have started teaching again, but this time the setting is small workshops teaching encaustic and mixed media techniques.  Being an introvert, I have surprised myself by actually really loving it.  It feels right. Rejoining the outside world, interacting with people and sharing something that I love has been such a rewarding experience.  My life is enriched just to be able to serve as a stepping stone in someone else’s creative journey.  I am still exploring this new role and am looking forward to where this may lead.  I think it is so important for people to give back to their community in some way and I hope to find a way to do that even more profoundly with my art.

Silent Moments © 2011 Bridgette Guerzon Mills

Meri: I’m absolutely in love with your encaustics. They’re very soft, mysterious and organic. At the same time, there’s something almost mystical about them. Where can people see your work in person and make purchases?

Bridgette:  I’m honored you enjoy my work. I love knowing that it resonates with people. In the Seattle area, my work is at 3231 Creatives in Everett. In Chicago, I’m represented by Sacred Art Store.