Stephanie Riggs is a Central Texas native that holds a BFA from Texas State University with a concentration in painting. For nearly a decade she has brought the joy of art to children in the elementary school classroom. Making use of summer vacation for travel, she has explored much of the beautiful and diverse landscape that Texas has to offer through hiking, bicycling, and kayaking. She is that friend on your trip that has to stop to take a photo of everything. Finding magic in every place she visits, the unique flora and many varied textures of the desert landscapes of west Texas are her current muse. Drawing inspiration from artists like Monet, Van Gogh, and O’Keefe, Stephanie seeks to connect with her audience through appreciation of the outdoors. Her goal is to capture the beauty of a moment, and influence those who view her work to discover the beauty around them by slowing down and reconnecting with nature.
Statement
The series depicts landscapes discovered during a bike trip through the remote West Texas wilderness. Illustrating the expansive, harsh beauty of the desert, the scenes immerse the viewer, stimulating the senses through saturated colors and expressive brushstrokes. The works translate the experience onto the canvas through calm, soothing color tones juxtaposed by the coarse, natural setting of West Texas in an effort to preserve not only the memory, but the visceral oddities of the landscape.