Barbara Briggs Designs Biography

"Adornment, be it jewelry or clothing, has always fascinated me. As a child I spent many hours creating wearable treasures made of buttons, shells, beads, and found objects that I had collected. The fashion pages of magazines such as Vogue and Bazaar became my favorite bedtime stories. As an adult I am still enamored with wearables. It is the process of creating these adornments that I find so exciting. Creating jewelry and knitting wearable art has allowed me to experiment with color, texture, and form to my heart's content!"

ARTIST'S BIO

Studied jewelry making at DeCordova Museum of Art in Lincoln, MA and at College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, IL. Self-taught in fiber arts, silk painting, and free-form basketry. Owned and operated Fibre Ltd., a knitting and weaving studio in Cedarburg, WI 1978-1986. Taught beginning jewelry classes at DeCordova Museum of Art in Lincoln, MA 1990-1992, Shibori silk dyeing and free-form basketry at the Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI 1999, and sculptural basketry at the Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Racine, WI in 2001. Received PMC (Precious Metal Clay®) Certification in 2005. Presently working in precious metal, beaded jewelry, and loom knit wearables, Barbara Briggs specializes in one-of-a-kind and limited edition pieces.

 

EXHIBITIONS AND SHOWS

Brio Gallery - Galena, IL - currently on display
"New Directions: Powder Metallurgy (Metal Clay) in a Sheet Metal World" - 2011
BAAC Annual Art Fair - Barrington, IL 1998
Midwest Craft Exhibition - Skokie, IL 1994, 1988
Oakbrook Invitational Craft Exposition - Oakbrook, IL 1994, 1988
ACC Baltimore Craft Fair - Baltimore, MD 1992, 1990, 1989
ACC San Francisco Craft Fair - San Francisco, CA 1992
Lakefront Festival of Art - Milwaukee, WI 1992, 1988
ACC West Springfield Craft Fair - West Springfield, MA 1990, 1989
Crafts at Rhinebeck - Rhinebeck, NY 1992, 1991
Washington Craft Expo - Washington, DC 1991, 1990, 1989
State Street Art Fair - Ann Arbor, MI 1990
Crafts at the Castle - Boston, MA 1989
Ann Arbor Street Art Fair - Ann Arbor, MI 1988
57th Street Art Fair - Chicago, IL 1988

 

PUBLICATIONS

Metal Clay Artist Magazine - Volume 3 - Issue #1
PMC Guild Annual #4 - 2010
PMC Guild Annual #3 - 2009
"Making Pure Silver Beads with Metal Clay" by Linda Kaye-Moses - 2009
"Metal Clay Beads" by Barbara Becker Simon - 2009
PMC Guild Annual #2 - 2008
PMC Guild Annual (Premier edition) - 2007
Bead & Button - December 2007 issue
Bead & Button - April 2007 issue
Studio PMC - Summer 2006 issue

 

ARCHIVES
Galena Gazette - December 26, 2007 article "Letting Creativity Reign"