The MFA program taught me how to take complex ideas and explore them through visual metaphor. Professors work with you to refine your ideas and take your art to the next level technically and conceptually.
Paul Bryan Director of Web Applications
- Alum
- Staff
As an employee, Bryan works with the rest of the web team in designing online content and experiences that advance the university. Over the years he as served the university as photographer, videographer, and creative director but he is best known as being an advocate of one-wheel skateboards and suspenders.
As an artist, Bryan makes haunting and sometimes hilarious films that address the wonder, beauty, and intense mystery of life devoted to religious faith.
Paul lives with his wife, Ashley and a multitude of critters in a historic farmhouse just outside of Commerce.
A Conversation with Paul
Tell us about a project you have completed.
Believe It Anyway! is a series of silent short films that depict five stories from the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. The films were created in collaboration with Chris Ramos who, drawing inspiration from the music of both Jewish and Christian traditions, wrote and conducted the original score for each of the films.
Exploring the complex idea of faith in modern society through film, the project seeks to find the relevance of epic Old Testament stories that display incredible feats and trials for the characters they feature. Creating a series of films about faith engaged the artist himself and those involved to contemplate questions of why modern educated individuals will make the conscious decision to accede to faith-based thinking over the physical evidence of this world. Believe It Anyway! discusses faith with careful intentionality, focusing upon the experience of the one who believes anyway, taking the audience with us in our journey to meet the unknown.
Educational Background
- MFA, Studio Art with a concentration in filmmaking, East Texas A&M University (formerly Texas A&M University-Commerce
- BFA, Graphic Design, Abilene Christian University
Research Interests
- Faith
- Film
- Christianity
- Popular Folklore
- Science Fiction
- Film History