Ceramic artist Ryan Myers of Madison, Wisconsin says, “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.”
With his above platform, AAPJ has found Ryan’s statement of who, where, when, what and why are true, undoubtedly, a portrayed exactness is highly evident his pottery works. Form, color and shape, in our view, are also dominant proof shows a thirst for knowledge achieved has been put into practice.
Artist Myers goes on to say, “My vessels are created using a combination of thrown and hand-building processes. Many pieces are fired multiple times to achieve my desired effect.” Again in our view, his works, whether they be his tea pots to false idols, certainly tells “…its own story” with the richness of its historical use.
His awards and exhibitions are lengthy and to learn more see: ryanmyersceramics.com.
Reprinted from past AAPJ’s Potter’s Shed