J. Richard Briggs (b. 1990) is a Pacific Northwest painter based in Oregon, working in acrylic on wood panel. Inspired by the narrative-rich tradition of the American Regionalists, Briggs’ work spans large-scale landscapes and figurative paintings grounded in sacred storytelling. Through the slow meditative process of applying layer upon layer of thin, semi-transparent glazes, Briggs’ images emerge rendering form with a modeled weightiness. His radiant, dramatic and finely wrought paintings depict scenes that invite contemplation of both the Divine, as well as the natural world, with spiritual reverence. 

Intrigued by the dilemma of displacement in modern life, Briggs has focused his attention on capturing humanity’s sacred relationship with the natural world, and the Divine presence within it, as a means of rooting a sense of belonging. Briggs’ own experience of displacement—being a gay Christian raised in a strict fundamentalist household—has shaped his ongoing passionate love for the natural world, and what he describes as a personal calling to steward a sense of ‘place.’ 

Briggs first entered the art world through commercial studio work, gaining lengthy experience in production art for museums, film, and attractions — including illustration design, prop building, displays, and exhibit fabrication and installation. He studied representational art at Watts Atelier and Hebrew language and Jewish art history at the University of Haifa and Hebrew University in Jerusalem. His exhibitions include “Radical Hospitality” (Frame and Hang Art Gallery, Bellevue, KY, 2018), “Subversive Faith” (Liberty Station, San Diego, CA 2023), and recent shows in the Portland, Oregon area at Guardino Gallery (June 2025), Red E Café Gallery (December 2025), GO Gallery (March 2026), and Portland Arts Collective (April 2026).