St. Olaf College

Paul S. Briggs


United States
b. b. 1963
View objects by this artist.

Paul Briggs grew up in the Hudson Valley in the town of Newburgh NY and took his first ceramics class when he was in ninth grade.  He eventually went on to graduate from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University and received his MSEd in 1992.  He then received his PhD in Art Education/Educational Theory and Policy from the Pennsylvania State University and finally in 2016 his MFA from the Massachusetts college of art.  He taught as an Art/Art History professor at St. Olaf from 2016-2019 and currently is an associate professor of Art Education at MassArt.

In the fall of 2019, Paul was awarded the Minnesota Arts Council Grant for his installation “Cell Persona: The Impact of Incarceration on Black Lives.” which was exhibited at the Northfield Arts Guild.  His work has been shown in numerous other exhibitions including “More Than That,” an exhibition curated by Roberto Lugo and shown at the Flaten Art Museum at St. Olaf College in 2019.

Paul’s work surrounds the two ceramic techniques of pinching and slab building.  Briggs describes pinching as an intuitive and meditative process where he can develop new techniques, forms, and experience the unique experience of being in a mindful flow.  Although no two of his pinched vessels are the same, Paul finds himself coming back to pinching forms that he is drawn to.  On the other hand, Briggs uses his slab built pieces to develop conceptual ideas. These projects are more planned and intentional, usually exploring broad traditions and how they impede the possibility of ongoing mental calm and stability.  He is interested in the continuum between the interior and the exterior.  Briggs asserts that while his two forms of work stand differently and serve different personal purposes, their fruition is best found when they work together and are in union.  

Evelyn Wakeley ‘21
October 2020

Sources:
“Paul Briggs.” MassArt.edu. https://massart.edu/faculty/paul-briggs
“Paul Briggs: Artist Statement” artaxis. https://artaxis.org/paul-briggs/
“Paul Briggs.” Office for the Arts at Harvard. https://ofa.fas.harvard.edu/people/paul-briggs-0#:~:text=Paul%20Briggs%20grew%20up%20in,Ceramics%2C%20Sculpture%2C%20and%20Education