Ryan Pickart
Ogden Dunes, Indiana
Favorite Cartoon Character: Hobbes

Stolen Artwork of Choice: "Salome" by Gustav Klimt

Dream Dinner Date: Bjork

Drink of Choice: Mountain Dew

Day Job: Petco

Reading Now: Chuck Klosterman IV: A Decade of Curious People and Dangerous Ideas

Star Wars Character of Choice: Princess Leia
Finding that moment in a piece of music or through an old family photo album continues to shape me as an artist. I base my artwork on painting people while developing a naturalist’s perception of their beauty. The reasoning behind my artwork is to provide strong symbolism with the subjects studied and staying true to a domestic view of the subject matter. The medium used is mainly oils to effectively portray the figure and portrait. While continuing to experiment with layers and transparency versus opacity, I am grasping a greater stronghold of my composition, fluidity, and figurative aspects of each piece.

As of late, I have been leaning towards a loose way of painting while still keeping parts of the composition intentionally tight and detailed. I am taking on the task of bridging the gap between abstract and realism. I find enjoyment in the process of each work and continuing to learn and explore different approaches and methods while finding solutions to my studies.