Hi! I’m Angela Riggs, the artist behind Dandy Gal 🙂 Welcome to my corner of the internet!

Bio

Angela Riggs is a multidisciplinary artist living and working in Portland, Oregon. A creative explorer, she loves experimenting with different mediums and techniques. Her aphantasia - a limited ability to visualize - encourages happy coincidence in her art, as well as an organic and unplanned approach to creating. 

Statement

The foundation of my art is happiness. I feel grounded, joyful, more centered in myself and the world when I am making art. With my aphantasia – a limited ability to visualize – everything I create is a collaborative journey with my materials, and the destination is always a bit of a surprise.

I want to pass on that sense of happiness to the people who view my art. I want them to be more than passive viewers – I want them to be participants. The world around us can feel harsh, disconnected, noisy; overwhelming. When I’m making art, I’m pushing all of those feelings away and making room for softness, for joy and delight, for allowing moments of focus in sharing something special – the art that is a part of myself, and the pleasure of making art for other people to enjoy and experience.

My art is rooted in spontaneity, curiosity, and exploration, with a strong sense of movement and flow. I love trying out different types of art, but have found myself especially drawn to the crafts of fiber art and ceramics. The common thread between these mediums is the ability to play with textures and depth – incorporating a variety of weaving techniques, building unique shapes, using textured glazes to invite closer viewing and discovery of detail.