Ryan Myers
I was raised on cartoons and comic books, superheroes and villains. I grew up around Native American artifacts and American antiques. I learned to appreciate the intimate qualities of aged objects: the textures of rusty iron and crawling paint on old furniture, and even the musty smell of ripened books and magazines. Things that come with embedded narrative and a worn history have always surrounded me, and therefore, influence me. I am attracted to nostalgia and drawn to the curious — to something unusual but familiar — to something that creates a linkage across time.
Toys, Latin American ceramics, architecture, our human relationship with the environment, and the American folk face jug tradition started by early American potters, influence my work. From the very beginnings of mankind, civilizations have produced figurative works in clay. The work tells us about those peoples’ everyday lives, hopes, fears, struggles, triumphs, and cherished deities. The figure in art has limitless possibilities and is a subject matter that everyone can relate to.
Many of the objects I create join the realms of sculpture and utility. I am not always concerned with “pretty”, though I do believe that form, color, and shape are important. The notion of function in my work is important as well, but is not the primary focus. My vessels are created using a combination of thrown and hand-building processes. Many pieces are fired multiple times to achieve my desired effect. Each object carries its own story and history that is created as the viewer relates to that vessel, and uses it in their daily life.
