Johanna Ryan

Works in Brooklyn, NY

What if we saw nature not as distinguishable things like trees, mountains, and soil, but as a cloud of influences that surround us? Harkening back to her memories growing up in nature and a personal interest in Ecofeminism, Johanna's method of printmaking is in itself a dialogue with nature. In cyanotypes, the intentional outlines of base drawings intermingle with spontaneous factors like the angle, brightness, and hue of sunlight - even the canvas it is printed on is candidly frayed at the edges. In her other prints also, watercolor-like effects make even the ground appear buoyant.

Johanna Aenderl Ryan is an emerging artist primarily focused on utilizing printmaking methods in a painterly way. She was born and raised in Minnesota. Growing up she spent her summers swimming in lakes, going camping, and living most of her formative years next to a wetland. She went on her first camping trip before she was two years old and her last camping trip was last year. A decade ago she moved to New York City and now lives in Brooklyn. Her artistic path has had a few detours but all of these experiences deeply inform her work.

Ms. Ryan started on her artistic path in writing; graduating from Hamline University with concentration in creative writing. During this time she had some of work published, but she moved away from these pursuits and found a love for using her skills to help others. She worked for over a decade at nonprofits serving individuals experiencing homelessness and the formally incarcerated.

During this time, she found her way back to creating – but now in the visual arts. She has collaborated on projects with like-minded artists; creating art for a local musician and images for films. Ms. Ryan dedicated herself fully to her art career in 2017 and has since completed a Masters in Fine Arts in 2020. Ms. Ryan has had her work included in over a dozen group shows throughout New York City.