Brickdale's early career was as a black-and-white artist, until in 1899, when she was commissioned by The Dowdeswells to paint 45 watercolours for an exhibition held by them in 1901, entitled Such Stuff as Dreams are made of. The show had a mixed critical reception but all but two were sold, and was followed by shows at Leighton House in 1902 and 1904, and another at Dowdeswell's in 1905. Further one-woman shows followed at the Leicester Galleries as her reputation grew.