The daily Astorian., August 06, 2020, Page 5, Image 5

Tempo Gallery artist Thron Riggs.
Continued from Page 4
Thron Riggs
Thron Riggs is an acrylic painter, focused
on landscapes, seascapes and fl orals. Most
of his work depicts aspects of the coast.
He likens his style to Claude Monet and
admires the work of Rembrandt . Riggs
doesn’t consider himself an artist, rather a
person who likes to draw and paint.
Riggs has been working on a project to
paint every headland on the W est C oast. So
far, he’s painted 25 of the West Coast’s most
signifi cant ones.
Riggs worked as a merchant seaman
all his life, which has tremendously infl u-
enced his art, he said. Being constantly sur-
rounded by water and headlands, Riggs
found his environment both provocative and
inspirational.
He fi nds that creating a piece right in
front of his subject is the best way to capture
the most vibrant paintings. Riggs takes his
portable easel with him to beaches and head-
lands. Riggs also plays violin, viola and gui-
tar. He works to convey the feeling he gets
from an image to the viewer.
Riggs said art and music are things every-
one does, starting as a child. T he two should
always remain a lifelong enjoyment, he said.
Phyllis Taylor
Phyllis Taylor is an acrylic and water-
color painter. She focuses on painting fl ow-
ers and portraits. Her favorite subjects are
people, especially children.
She painted a young man named Ryan
Tempo Gallery
artist Phyllis
Taylor and
her cello.
A landscape painting by Thron Riggs.
who stayed in her home while he visited for
the Astoria Music Festival. Her love for por-
traits comes from their diffi culty.
“That’s the ultimate challenge,” she said.
“If anyone can recognize them, you’ve
succeeded.”
Taylor worked at Indiana Univer-
sity for 40 years as a graphic designer and
illustrator.
She became a member of the Bloom-
ington Watercolor Society in Indiana three
years before leaving Indiana. Not having
to work anymore gave her a lot of time to
paint.
Doing things like month-long sketch-
ing challenges or other kinds of daily prac-
tices with friends helped Taylor develop her
skills.
Taylor has played cello for over 60 years.
She enjoys being involved with community
orchestras, like the Columbia River Sym-
phony, where she mentors children.
She is inspired by the artists at Tempo
and agrees with what inspires Peterson.
“We paint what brings us joy,” Taylor
said.
Phyllis Taylor’s
most recent painting,
‘Calendula,’ an homage
to canceled fi reworks.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2020 // 5