Paul Briggs’s ceramic work is a conversation between medium and artist resulting in contemplative objects with healing qualities.

Briggs purposefully infuses his clay works with metaphors and meanings. Throughout his life journey as a young athlete, undergraduate student, and ultimately, an artist, clay has always accompanied him. Since his early days attending summer camps, Briggs’s talent and passion for this type of craftsmanship have never left his side. Eventually, he wholeheartedly embraced his artistic career, becoming a mentor, lecturer, speaker, role model, successful artist and a scholar, as well as a beloved teacher.

As a ceramic artist, Briggs goes beyond manipulating clay; he engages in dialogue and interactions with the material, contemplating its qualities and focusing on its manifestation. By approaching clay as a meditative exercise, Briggs merges his ideals and philosophical beliefs with the medium, whereby his personal, unique and evocative artworks materialize. His creations are borne out of pondering on the aesthetics of nature, architecture, self-discovery, self-reflection and constant inquiries into societal endeavors.

Artists are endowed with the gift of expressing themselves through their craftsmanship. They help us, as viewers, to awaken our senses and perceive the world through their minds and life perspectives. Briggs’s most recent artistic practices tackle issues directly related to social and cultural crises, particularly those surrounding incarceration and social justice. Through his creative expressions, his work becomes a transformative experience for both artist and viewers, allowing for much- needed introspection, inner search, healing and contemplation.

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