Artist Statement

The mixed media and oil paintings in my studio practice concerns the themes of family (both blood-relative and found), feminist theory and/or LGBTQA+. My artwork is deeply personal and fantastical, portraying my experiences as dreamscapes, fantasy scenes, and fictional characters.

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After graduating in oil painting and sculpture from DePauw University for my undergrad, I went directly into retreat as a bronze lost-wax casting resident of Odiyan Buddhist Center. I studied and created classical Tibetan sculptures and became transfixed with eastern philosophy and art. I created many artworks that did not have a shred of “me” in them. It was wonderful to let go of my ego for the purpose of sacred art, but I still itched to make something of my own. When I left Odiyan in 2020, I decided to pursue a master’s degree in Philosophy & the Arts at University of Warwick, England, in hopes I could combine the intellectual “juice” I got from Odiyan to my existing creativity. What I found was that my art is deeply more psychological and layered when I intuitively create prior to the analyzation of the piece, which is the essence of sacred art creation. Suddenly, I realized that all intuitive art must be sacred. In the words of Schopenhauer, “when, however, an external cause or inward disposition suddenly raises us out of the endless stream of willing, and snatches knowledge from the thralldom of the will, the attention is now no longer directed to the motives of willing, but comprehends things free from their relation to the will… Then all at once the peace, always sought but always escaping us on that first path of willing, comes to us of its own accord, and all is well with us” (WWR I: 196). In other words, we must “let go” to truly create from the heart, or else we will never find peace.

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The indirect references to events in my life help me understand and resolve my ignorance/confusion during episodes of trauma. The complexity of color stresses intense emotionality and saturates the painted scenes, figures, and expressions with nostalgia. Combined with the mottled pigmentation from my palette and material exploration, the content produces a textured and splotchy recreation of my memory, which reveals the psychological state of the moment.

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Artist Bio

 

Jules Briggs is a Cleveland, Ohio based artist with a studio in Lakewood's Screw Factory. She holds an MA in Philosophy & The Arts from University of Warwick, England, and a BA in Studio Art from DePauw University, Indiana.

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Following her undergraduate career, Jules worked for two years as a bronze foundry artist at Odiyan Copper Mandala, a small Buddhist monastic community in Northern California. Her countless life-size and miniature sculptures contributed to the revitalization of Tibetan art and have been donated to monasteries abroad. Jules’ time spent at Odiyan influenced her decision to study eastern philosophy for her master’s degree in the context of sacred art creation.

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Jules' personal paintings and sculptures have appeared in galleries both nationally and internationally. Notable exhibitions include Carlisle Arts & Learning Center (Carlisle, PA), McCord Gallery (Chicago, IL), Wasmer Gallery and Valley Arts Center Cleveland, OH), Ohio Artist Registry Exhibit (Columbus, OH), and 6 Spin Street Gallery (Cape Town, South Africa) during an artist residency with renowned apartheid photographer and activist, Jenny Altschuler. 

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In her free time, Jules likes walking to Lake Erie from her home in Gordon Square Arts District of Cleveland, training her dog, and reading fiction novels.

Instagram @jewelsbriggs