Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Francis Ryan.
Michael Francis Ryan (b, Worcester MA) is an international contemporary artist currently living and working in West Palm Beach Florida. Sculpture, painting, drawing,photography and installation form his various explorations in media. He balances his daily duties as Creative Director at a major advertising agency in Fort Lauderdale together with a lifelong calling as a fine artist. Growing up in the Boston area, he received a Masters degree in Visual Design from the University of Massachusetts. Recognized by the “Who’s Who” of Boston emerging artists early in his career, it lead to major exhibitions of group and solo shows in the Chelsea district of New York including the former Heidi Cho Gallery, Pleiades Gallery, and New Century Gallery. More recent highlights include a select show at the Boca Museum of Art, Boca Raton Florida; gallery and international art fair showings in Miami, Amsterdam, London, Florence, Milan, Venice, Innsbruck, and Basel. Included in the collections of the Jewish Historical Society of Boston, Louis of Boston, Xerox Corp., international jazz musician Chuck Mangione, and several private collectors.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
During my graduate studies, I started looking at abstract expressionism, Arte Povera and minimalism and found spiritual freedom and passion that lead to creating new work. Work that was unique in itself. I still enjoyed working with simple objects but now in multi-mediums that involved painting, sculpture, and photography. Today Home Depot is my candy store, from which I incorporate building materials along with finding objects in the works.
My work, marked out by a highly individualized philosophical and spiritual discourse, is established through the recourse to the use of simple objects and images based upon silence, and an invitation to the now moment — a search for balance within our consciousness and journey to clarity, emptiness and inner peace. Whether free-standing or wall mounted, the minimally constructed objects and photographs exude a Zen-like calm, engaging the viewer into spiritual contemplation and synchronicity. Found objects and building materials form the basis of all my mediums. I bring their often overlooked beauty to light, front and center.
Artists face many challenges, but what do you feel is the most pressing among them?
Personally for me and the challenge I started facing, and still do to this day, was finding a balance between creating my art, my advertising career and of course family life. Currently, I reside in a small condo in West Palm Beach, so my working space is limited to producing smaller scale work, and a concentration in contemporary photography. You learn to adapt to your environment, and as cliché, as it may sound, I always tell beginning artists searching for space to develop their work; “if there’s passion and will, there’s a way.”
But the creative drive and passion instilled in me continue as I constantly seek out and develop new ideas that are brought to life. I constantly sketch those ideas in a small notebook. The thought process is as exciting as seeing the finished piece.
Today, with constant positive recognition on social media and selection into international art fairs and galleries have boosted my drive and success as an artist.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
My next showing is part of a group exhibition at Gray Contemporary in Houston Texas.
The opening is January 19th http://www.graycontemporary.com A highly progressive gallery that pushes the boundaries of art.
There will be future sitings with galleries in Berlin, London, New York. Stay tuned.
Contact Info:
- Address: 300 South Australian Ave
Unit 420
West Palm Beach - Website: michaelfrancisryan.com
- Phone: 561-635-5967
- Email: info@michaelfrancisryan.com
- Instagram: @nextnow.michaelfrancisryan
- Facebook: Michael F. Ryan
Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
