Bryan David Griffith

Here in Northern Arizona, a small change in moisture can have profound consequences for life: moss-laden Douglas firs thrive in the shade of Walnut Canyon while parched agaves eke by on the rim above. Our watersheds are stunningly beautiful and diverse microclimates. But the future of our land and water are at risk. Today, we stand at a watershed moment. The land use decisions we make in the upcoming Flagstaff Regional Plan will dramatically affect our community’s future.

The Watershed series responds to local water-related processes disrupted by climate change. I make my work out of the local landscape: I forage forms, dyes, and pigments from bark, leaves, seed husks, charcoal, rocks, and barbed wire. I salvage wood from construction and wildfire sites. I build canvases gradually over time outdoors using many layers with my own blend of painting, proto-photography, and botanical chemistry. I try to create meditative works that beckon you to reflect on the greater mysteries that underlie the natural world and our relationship to it. 

Click the link below to watch the video, “Watershed”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vX9lnK-49s

Bryan David Griffith Bio

Bryan David Griffith explores complex issues using simple forms and materials. An interdisciplinary artist, he works across multiple media and learns or invents new techniques as needed to convey the concepts in each body of work. Griffith earned a degree in engineering and worked for an international management-consulting firm before he resigned to follow his conscience. He bought an old van to live out of, scraping by as he toured the country to build a new career as an artist. When Griffith’s van broke down in Flagstaff, he fell in love with the town, and then his wife, Tasha. He never left.

In 2016, Griffith won the Flagstaff Arts Council’s Viola Award and the Phoenix Art Museum’s Artist Grant for his work on wildfire. His work is held in a number of permanent collections including the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Phoenix Art Museum, University of Michigan Museum of Art, Center for Creative Photography, and Fort Wayne Museum of Art. His recent solo exhibitions include the High Desert Museum, Fresno Art Museum, Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, and Griffin Museum of Photography. Griffith is represented by Bentley Gallery in Phoenix.

Bryandavidgriffith.com