Artist Rebecca Bridges Rice loves painting and drawing of all sorts and had a career in graphic design and publishing for over 25 years.
Education
In high school, she was awarded a summer study scholarship at University of Kansas—Midwestern Music and Art Camp in Lawrence, Kansas. Their international faculty exposed her to diverse styles of painting, sculpture and 3D design. Rice completed her Associate In Arts degree from Columbia College in Columbia, Missouri and then also graduated in commercial art from Regal School of Art in Houston, Texas. She later attended the Art Institute of Houston's computer graphics program specifically designed for working professional designers.
Bridges Rice supported her art as a freelance designer, working for ad agencies and corporate clients doing illustration and graphic design. Freelancing for 12 years gave her the flexibility to take painting classes and workshops. Early instructors included Jose' Perez, Zoltan Zabo, Marge Brichler, Harold Phenix, Lajos Markos, Charles Reid, Edgar Whitney, Robert E. Wood and Mario Cooper.
Further study with master painters whose work Rice loves such as (alphabetically) Carolyn Anderson, Ken Auster, Scott Burdick, Guido Frick, Gregg Kreutz, David Leffel, Huihan Liu, Jeffrey Watts, Joseph Zbukvic, and others whenever possible is an ongoing pursuit.
Graphic Design & Art Publishing
As a graphic designer, she produced award-winning corporate publications for clients such as Exxon, Transco (now Williams), Dresser Industries and Tenneco Oil (now ChevronTexaco), as well as The State Bar of Texas.
In the mid 80's, Bridges-Rice taught painting and drawing with the continuing education department at The University of Houston, The Woodlands Campus.
After joining the staff of Southwest Art Magazine as Creative Director '87 through '90 enabled her to combine a love of magazine design with the love of fine art.
After leaving Southwest Art Magazine, Bridges-Rice helped set up a fine-art Gallery in Cannon Beach Oregon for Valley Bronze of Oregon.
In '93 she joined the staff of Somerset House Publishing (a holding company for American Masters Foundation, FrameHouse Gallery and ArtStar Partners), as Director of Product Development. She produced limited edition prints for nationally-known artists such as L. Gordon, Scott Burdick, Sue Lyon, G.Harvey, Michael Atkinson, Nancy Glazier, Larry Dyke, Tom DuBois and others. Some of the artists she met in the publishing business are still her artist-mentors today.
Bridges-Rice works mostly in oils now, but occasionally still paints in acrylics and watercolor. Painting from life or on location is her preference, but working in the studio is fun also. |
