catherine ryan volume 2, 2006, #029

catherine ryan's work investigates the universal role that snapshots play in documenting modern human life. using personal and found photographs as a departure point, her drawings and densely layered paintings play with how snapshots inform and often replace the actual memories of the events that they attempt to depict. she is currently working towards her master of fine arts at the san francisco art institute and showing her work with the thin ice collective (www.thinicecollective.com). she has also just created a piece for the 'domestic' art project, third drawer down (thirddrawerdown.com).

1. how would you explain 'art' - in 19 words or less? the best form of human communication.

2. what is the first work of art you ever loved? watership down (the movie) … it's everything i love about art and it was the first movie that really affected me emotionally.

3. how important is theory to your art? very, i usually find art with no theory behind it boring.

4. describe your ideal art workspace. big with lots of natural light in the backyard of my future house.

5. describe your current art workspace. half of my tiny bedroom in my tiny apartment.

6. if you could be placed in suspended animation and safely reanimated at some time in the future with the sole purpose being to see how history treated you / your art, would you do it?
never.

7. who are some of your favourite artists (contemporary or canonical)? the first ones that come to mind are: j.d. salinger, david hockney, gerhard richter, and gottfried helnwein.

8. tell us about a gallery (online or physical space) that you think rocks, and why you think it rocks. the tate modern is one of the best museums/galleries i've ever been to. it rocks.

9. would you choose the baked bean jaffle or the caramelised pumpkin and red onion tart with crispy radicchio and hazelnut salad with apple vinaigrette? the caramelised pumpkin and red onion tart, because i've never had one and it sounds good.

10. finish this sentence: "the work of art can / cannot be considered separately to the artist because ________." the work of art definitely can be considered separately to the artist … art transcends its maker.

check out more of catherine's work at: http://catherineryan.org

two girls in hallway, charcoal & acrylic on canvas, 2006

two boys & a reel-to-reel, charcoal & acrylic on canvas, 2006

two boys in costume, charcoal & acrylic on canvas, 2006

birthday cake #2, charcoal & acrylic on paper, 2006

halloween #5, charcoal & acrylic on paper, 2006