Gwen Bardon is a Hudson Valley–based painter working in oil and cold wax, creating quiet, atmospheric abstractions rooted in light, surface, and subtle shifts of form. A former art educator with degrees from the State University of New York at New Paltz, she developed her practice through years of study across multiple mediums before focusing on her current layered, tactile approach. Her work is influenced by landscape, architecture, and the weathered textures of place, including recent explorations during a residency in Provence, France. Bardon’s paintings have been exhibited at the Woodstock Artists Association and Museum, Bethany Arts Community, and Limner Gallery, and are held in private collections in the United States and abroad.

I work in oil and cold wax to create quiet, atmospheric paintings that explore light, surface, and the space between form and stillness. Through a process of layering, scraping, and compression, I build matte surfaces that hold and diffuse light, allowing the work to reveal itself slowly over time. My approach is intuitive and meditative, guided by memory, place, and observation. Influenced by landscape, architecture, and the weathered textures of the natural world, my paintings evoke a sense of calm and quiet presence. Rather than capturing a single moment, the work reflects an accumulation of time—inviting a contemplative experience that feels both grounded and ephemeral.

Website: gwenbardon.com

Instagram: @gwenbardon