Statement

Paul Brigham has spent a number of years reading Zen philosophy, practicing Tai Chi, and studying Asian art and aesthetics. He downplays his formal artistic training and cites as more influential the education received from his firsthand experience of nature. His recent paintings are inspired by the tradition of ukiyo-e, "the floating world," specifically Japanese bird and flower prints. The challenge for Brigham has been to apply aspects of these traditions to his work in a way that respects but does not imitate them, and in a way that reflects his own experiences as a 21st Century painter living in California. To Brigham, the idea of the floating world describes the ephemeral and impermanent quality of our worldly existence.

Brigham's technique consists of layering paint and silk-screened images and then using sandpaper to reveal elements from previous layers. This layering technique not only contributes to the depth and texture but also captures the effect of the transitory nature underlying everything and making them appear in a state of flux. The background Brigham has created reflects how the bird might see the world - it is serene and magical and the bird seems at home there.

One learns a landscape finally not knowing the name or identity of everything in it, but by perceiving the relationships in it - like that between the sparrow and the twig. -Barry Lopez, Crossing Open Ground

Bio

Education

1990

Painting, Printmaking, College of Marin

1980

Painting, Drawing, University of Massachusetts

Selected Exhibitions

2007

New Paintings, Solo Show, Sue Greenwood Fine Art, Laguna Beach, CA

Home On the Range, Solo Show, Gallatin River Gallery, Big Sky, MT

On the Wing, Invitational, Exploding Head Gallery, Sacramento, CA

Spring, Three Person Show, Judy Saslow Gallery, Chicago, IL

New Work, Solo Show,Patricia Rovzar Gallery, Seattle, WA

Scene Inside, Solo Show, Hang Gallery, San Francisco, CA

New Work, 3 Person Show, Bennett Street Gallery, Atlanta, GA

New Paintings, Invitational, Jule’s Place, Boston, MA

2006

Flight/ Pattern, Invitational, Hang Gallery, San Francisco, CA

Transitions, Solo Show, SueGreenwood Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA

New Work, Two Person Show, Bennett Street Gallery, Atlanta, GA

Spellbound, Invitational Show, Jule’s Place, Boston, MA

New Work, Invitational Show, Karen Terzian Gallery, Park City, UT

2005

Collector’s Showcase, Patricia Rovzar Gallery, Kirkland, WA

Passages, Solo Show, SueGreenwood Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA

Emerging Artists, Invitational, Bennett Street Gallery, Atlanta, GA

Organic Abstraction, Invitational, Hang Gallery Annex, San Francisco, CA

Field and Stream, Solo Show, Gallatin River Gallery, Big Sky, MT

Peace Within the Noise, Two Person Show, Exploding Head Gallery, Sacramento, CA

2004

Undercurrents, Solo Show, Hang Gallery Annex, San Francisco, CA

Art Auction, Juried Exhibition, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, CA

Floating World, Solo Show, Greenwood Chebithes Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA

2003

Where the Wild Things Are, Solo Show, Gallatin River Gallery, Big Sky, MT

West Marin Wild, Group Show, Point Reyes National Seashore, Olema, CA

Hospitality House Auction, Group Show, Dolby Chadwick Gallery, San Francisco, CA

The Art of Saving Oaks, Invitational, Filoli, Woodside, CA

Of the Earth, Invitational, Indian Valley Artist Gallery, Novato, CA

2002

The Art of Saving Oaks, Invitational, Bay Model, Sausalito, CA

Nature Spirit, Invitational, Claudia Chapline Gallery, Stinson Beach, CA

Hospitality House Auction, Group Show, Branstein-Quay, San Francisco CA

Colors of White, Invitational, Hang Gallery, San Francisco, CA

2001

Tea Garden Perspectives, Solo Show, Hang Gallery, San Francisco, CA

A Figurative Show, Invitational, Civic Center, San Rafael, CA

Mendocino Genome Project, Invitational, Jean van Keuren Estate, Davis, CA

West Coast Currents, Group Show, Lisa Coscino, Pacific Grove, CA

2000

Earth, Sea, and Air, Invitational, Claudia Chapline Gallery, Stinson Beach, CA

Conversations with Landscape, Invitational, Marin Community Foundation, San Rafael, CA

Awakening to the Earth, Group Show, Marin Civic Center, San Rafael, CA

1999

Bay Area Artists, Group Show, Hang Gallery, San Francisco, CA

1998

Birds of a Feather, Two-Person Show, Cilmi Gallery, Sausalito, CA

1997

Harvest Still Life, Solo Show, Framing Dragon Gallery, Mill Valley, CA

1996

All Saints/All Souls, Alter-ed Images, Group Show, Falkirk Cultural Center, San Rafael, CA

1995

A World of Maps, Anchorage Museum of History and Art, Anchorage, AK

1994

Images and Objects, Group Show, ACCI, Berkeley, CA

1992

Animals and Us, Group Show, Artisans Gallery, Mill Valley, CA

1991

Shrines; A Place of Worship, Group Show, Falkirk Cultural Center, San Rafael, CA

Contemporary Visions of Our Lady of Guadeloupe, Group Show, Downey Museum of Art, Downey, CA

Awards

2000

Award Winner, Painting, Portland Art Exhibition, Portland, OR 1999

Best of Show, Marin Art Competition, San Rafael, CA 1995

Honorable Mention, Marin Arts Council Individual Artist Grant, San Rafael, CA 1992

Best of Class, Marin Art Competition, San Rafael, CA 1991

Merit Award, Shrines a Place of Worship, Falkirk Cultural Center, San Rafael, CA

Comissions

2002

Periodical Cover, Xantippe Annual, Volume 1

Bookbeat, Fairfax, CA

2001

Wild Palms Hotel, Sunnyvale, CA

2000

Earth Day 2000, Marin Civic Center, San Rafael, CA

1999

Double Tree Inn, Salt Lake City, UT

Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival, Mill Valley, CA

Laurel Inn, San Francisco, CA

1998

Hotel Del Sol, San Francisco, CA

1997

Real Food Company, Sausalito, CA

Press

Coming soon