The Arts Scene: The art is fine, whether storyboard or gouache

Retired and residing in Yakima, artist Timothy Braniff worked for 30 years in the movie and television industry as a storyboard illustrator and a designer of theme park rides for Disney. Braniff is a graduate of the Burnley School for Professional Art, which eventually became The Art Institute of Seattle.

In 1968, he was drafted into the U.S. Army for two years, serving one year in Vietnam.

Upon discharge from the military, Braniff was offered the GI Bill, which provided the opportunity for him to complete his education in fine art. He earned his bachelor’s of fine arts in 1976 from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif., and began to work in Hollywood. He made a living as a storyboard artist in the film industry.

After joining the Motion Picture Union in 1977, his first storyboards were for the movie “The Amityville Horror.” Other notable films he worked on are “The Last of the Mohicans,” “Dante’s Peak,” “Gods and Generals,” “What Dreams May Come,” “Annie,” “Invasion,” “Police Academy 6: City Under Siege,” “Night at the Roxbury,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Super Mario Bros.” He also worked in television on such shows as “The Adventures of Briscoe County Jr.” and “The New Twilight Zone.”

Braniff moved to Yakima in 2007 to be closer to his mother.

For the past several years, he has pursued a career in fine art, working in oil, acrylic and watercolor. His recent work is in gouache, a type of opaque watercolor mixed with a binding agent. Around 20 works are on exhibit at the Gallery Bistro at The Seasons Performance Hall.

The Larson Gallery and The Seasons Performance Hall will be holding a special reception in the Gallery Bistro at 6 p.m. June 9.

• David Lynx is executive director of the Larson Gallery at Yakima Valley College. He writes this weekly column for Explore. Learn more at www.larsongallery.org.