by RENEE PATRICK Cascade A&E Editor
Cindy Briggs brings a lifetime of artistic influence to her work. She has created a career surrounding her passion in which travel creates the framework for much of her art.
Briggs grew up surrounded by a family of artists in her home state of Colorado, the creative environment has fueled her career throughout the different stages of her life. After graduating from Brigham Young University with a degree in design minor in art history, she moved across the country working for different advertising firms as art director for international clients like Levi Strauss & Company, Adobe Universal Studios.
In the late nineties Briggs made the crossover into fine art, “ I taught art classes in elementary through middle school then started working with adults. I traveled to Paris to paint with my aunt then took a number of workshops from notable artists. Following my dream, I’ve spent the last 12 years painting teaching. I appreciate that the design field gave me on the job training in conceptualizing, composition marketing – all which made the transition to full-time painting a natural.”
She relocated to Bend from Seattle with her family ten years ago, attracted to the sun, outdoor lifestyle the sophisticated but small town atmosphere that has inspired her painting, increased her local involvement in the arts bolstered her teaching.
Travel features heavily in her work as she explains, “My paintings are a visual journal of my travels life experiences. My subjects vary from portraits to cityscapes l scapes, with the majority from Italy, my favorite painting destination for its old world culture architecture…I seek out subjects with character focus on the dynamic interrelationship of shapes, values colors…[Since] my foundation is in design, I carefully plan my composition colors then free myself to become engaged in the painting process.
“When possible I’ll paint alla prima (in one sitting) take advantage of the spontaneity that watercolor invites…my painting method is a bit serendipitous – mixing, mingling manipulating the colors for subtle nuances unexpected color transitions, then add calligraphy finesse the edges. After I’ve started a painting I may paint non-stop into the night completely unaware of the time. Watercolor inspires my soul – like life – the more I make the most of its unpredictable qualities the more interesting it becomes. With each painting my goal is to reverently capture the essence of my subject infuse it with dynamic color light.”
Briggs is co-owner of a Seattle based international workshop company, Make Every Day a Painting Workshops. With partner Theresa Goesling, the two have been leading classes/art tours for almost ten years in exotic locals such as Italy, France, Greece, Croatia, Sicily Turkey. They also teach in Seattle, Bend Santa Barbara. They have co-authored a book, Make Every Day a Painting, which is used with artists ranging from beginners to professionals. The lessons are focused around drawing watermedia strive to make the most of the student’s creative journey.
Briggs thrives in the role of teacher welcomes the opportunity to be able to share her passion with those looking to advance their skills. She states, “As a teacher my focus is to help each student see like an artist, develop confidence in their design painting skills, discover their individual style.”
Briggs has a list of impressive accolades surrounding her art. Her paintings have been featured in the national publication, Watercolor Magazine. Locally, she is a volunteer for the Reflections Programs for schools in the Bend La Pine School district. She juries the Plein Air Painters of Oregon Show, Sunriver Arts Festival the 2011 National DAR Art Show. She has been juried into the High Desert Rendezvous Richard Schmid Invitational, National Watercolor Society exhibitions Watercolor Society of Oregon. She has won awards in the Northwest Watercolor Society, Eastside Fine Arts Association Arts Central as well as being a member of the local group, the High Desert Art League.
In June you will be able to view Briggs Goesling’s art at Sotheby’s with in a show entitled Side by Side. She is showing the cover piece, Biketown USA, at the City Hall City Walls exhibit through July.
Briggs will have information available for an upcoming workshop in Santa Barbara taking place in November as well as one of her traveling workshops to Portofino Cinque Terre, Italy in June of next year. Briggs regularly teaches for the Art Station, has two workshops scheduled for later this year, a Cascade Fine Art Workshops Plein Air in July Studio class in October. She offers private group mentoring lessons by appointment.
For those in Los Angeles, Briggs is involved in a current National Watercolor Society show has future exhibits this year scheduled in Colorado Washington. Briggs Goesling have multiple demonstrations workshops scheduled with Daniel Smith in Seattle.