Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Perryn Ryan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Perryn, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
My most meaningful and proudest project has been the “No Is Beautiful” mural campaign that I designed in collaboration with Pure Leaf and poet Arielle Estoria. It was hand-painted on the side of the William Vale Hotel in Williamsburg. Designing this mural was the first time that I’d ever seen my work in a larger-than-life scale. The moral was more than 80 feet long, and the first time that I’d ever created a public artwork. It was bold, engaging, and filled me with joy to see people interact with it, stop to read Arielle’s words that accompanied my designs and take photos with it. This was the first time that I’d ever seen people interact with my work and have such a positive response. It is the singular project that has inspired me to design more public art.
Perryn, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Perryn Ryan, originally from Washington D.C., but I’ve been living and working in Brooklyn, NY for the last 17 years. I like to describe myself as a cat with nine lives. Some of those past lives have included careers in Tech working as a software programmer, in the Fashion Industry as a Technical Designer, and now as a Freelance Illustrator and Designer for the last 5 years. I primarily work digitally designing illustrations for editorial, brand, and product-focused partners, and murals for private and commercial residences. I like to think of myself as a creative problem solver, designing original illustrations and designs that help clients communicate their stories, and ideas, and create inviting environments. I’m proud of how I’ve been able to turn my favorite childhood pastime of drawing into a successful career where I get to express my love of wellness, representation, and positive messaging through visual storytelling.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Sometimes I feel that life is one big pivot and series of ebbs and flows, and currently, I’m in a pivot toward creating more digital media for my fellow Black artists and creators. I’ve spent the last 5 years purchasing and using mockup images to showcase my work in framed, product, and mural layouts. With the continued surge of AI and its prevalence in the creative space, I think now is the time to familiarize ourselves with the technology and find ways to incorporate it into our creative process. I’ve been doing that by using AI to generate my own mockups to display my work in a variety of settings. In my research, I’ve noticed the huge lack of representation in the mockups that are currently available. So I’ve recently created a new project called Studio Seen™ where I design mockups that centers Black representation for black creators, illustrators, artists, muralists, and photographers who want visual tools to showcase their work and connect with their audience.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
It’s a pretty concise answer for me: knowing that I created something out of thin air. Every time I create something I give myself a pat on the back for having followed through on the inspiration to create a physical manifestation of something that had only ever existed in my mind. It’s pure magic. Being an artist is pure magic!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.perrynryan.com and www.studioseen.co
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perrynryanart/
