Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ryan Semple. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ryan, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

For the most part, I try not to dwell on the past. Rumination of the what-ifs is of no positive gain. But, there are times that I wish I had made the decision to pursue a creative career sooner. Mostly because it means I would’ve gotten more time under my belt.

The beginnings of any creative field are exploratory. Most time is spent finding the voice in your craft. Early on, you look to your idols for inspiration. As time and experience happen you start to build your own style. I do wish I would have gotten through this phase earlier in my life. Because I wasted valuable time and energy following the ambitions of others.

All this to say, it’s never too late to pursue the thing that fulfills you. My outlook on my own experience is that I did a lot of things I didn’t want to do. And this helped me figure out what I wanted the most out of my life.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Ryan Semple. I love creating. Whether it’s drawing, painting, or building. The act of creation is meditative for me. It connects me with the present moment. And at that moment anything feels possible. Having this practice that I can refine and get better with over time is one of the greatest pleasures in life.

My work focuses on subjects or elements from nature (flora & fauna). The current series I am working on uses wood as media and complements the natural subject(s). Being able to build a frame, carve a subject, paint it, and mount it all together feels unique to me. My approach is that I am always trying to ‘WOW’ artists and woodworkers. I want them to be able to come up to my work and see the love put into my craft.

My journey begins a lot like yours. I was a high school graduate that struggled with what my life would become. I worked full-time for a couple of years at a job that I hated. I thought that’s what all adults did and I needed to stick it out to reap the financial benefits. There was a lack of stimulation and I knew I wanted more from life. What I was looking for wasn’t in that job. During this time I was creating for my own pleasure. These little creative projects are when I was happiest. Since my day job was not fulfilling me I began to question what I wanted most. I took a leap of faith and put some art up in my city’s local gallery. It was that show that connected me to the art community. Along the way, I met people who were creating as professionals. I didn’t know how I would make creativity a career, all I knew was that I wanted in that world. I started to show up to events, build relationships, and commit myself to my craft. This connection to my community has helped shape the pathway I am on.

While I strive to be a gallery artist, I make most of my money as an artist through murals. Large-scale public art pays more (for now). The rest of my income comes from individuals commissioning me. I am currently working towards being able to offer to build furniture for clients. I have built furniture for my own home using hand tools and hope to add furniture building to my repertoire.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

The best thing anyone can do to support the creative community is to advocate for more of it. Buying work is crucial but making a push for more creativity will build creatives up at any level. If your city is looking for a way to improve the city, more public art. If you have friends or family that you want to get a gift for, buy from local artists. If you are looking for a release from tensions in life, make some art. There is no downside to creativity. Support the community you’re in and watch the power it has.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The meditative state creating gives me is powerful. Our lives are often dictated by worry. Worry is a cause of uncertainty in the brain. The beauty I have found with creating is that you do not think of the future or the past – only that fleeting moment you’re in. While there is uncertainty in creating, that can be the most rewarding part of the whole process. You can learn a lot about yourself and what matters most in that fleeting bit. If I will advocate for anything, its that art has the power to teach us about ourselves and live in the present.

Contact Info:

• Website: ryansempleart.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/_ryansemple
• Youtube: youtube.com/@ryansemp