PORTFOLIO
Below is a smattering of my favorite paintings and illustrations over the past 12-ish years. My style has definitely evolved quite a bit over the years as I have dabbled in a range of subject matters and experimented in a variety of materials, tools and techniques. Although there have definitely been some outliers, I have categorized my work into mainly 5 different basic themes. Take a look; I would love to hear from you if you have any questions!
2020 ryanlwagner.com. All rights reserved.
People
I try to capture the essence of humanity with paint. The human body is a remarkable thing, and I am fascinated by all of the unique features, tiny eccentricities and beautiful flaws that make us each individual while simultaneously all the same.
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Animals
I've been captivated by animals for as long as I can remember. As a child I used to catch rolly-polies and put them in my pockets, and I kept countless frogs, snakes, turtles and lizards as pets (God bless my poor mother). Nowadays the only pets I have are two big, very spoiled dogs, but I still have that same child-like wonder and curiosity with all animals. I feel like I have a close bond with them, I'm fascinated about their physical features, behaviors and environments and how we all coexist on the planet together, despite humans superiority complex. So I thoroughly enjoy drawing and painting them, both as portraiture as well as symbolic representations to show my utmost respect and appreciation to our four-legged, furry, feathered, gilled and scaly friends.
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Food
Food is a new subject matter that I am beginning to explore more deeply. Food has been a very important part of my life, both personally and professionally, and I love the way we can bond over a good meal as well as being a vessel to learn about different cultures around the world.
"Mash-Ups"
I have been influenced by many different types of art and artists through the years, dabbling in various mediums and materials along the way. As a result I became interested in ways to explore how different materials interacted together, and then juxtaposing different styles and subject matters into single compositions that I call "Mash-ups". Using various elements and applications, it's been an interesting way to tell deeper, more meaningful stories while experimenting with different compositions, materials and themes.
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2020 ryanlwagner.com. All rights reserved.
Alphabet Series
My Animal Alphabet series is my newest project in the works. I started with spelling out my son's name and I have been working through every letter since, slowly but surely. Besides the actual letters themselves (which is the typeface Eina 01, for anyone who is curious), everything is hand-drawn with a stylus on a tablet. Every element in each piece starts with the corresponding letter, even down to the name of the color of the letter itself. These are available as prints in various sizes in both paper and canvas and can be used to spell out words, names or initials, or can just stand alone independently. Prints are available here, and I will continue to add new letters as they are completed.
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More coming soon!
Click here to see