About The Artist

***ABOUT THE ARTIST***

Ryan Rice is a fourth generation native of Colorado. He currently lives and works in Denver, Colorado with his wonderfully supportive wife Danielle, beautiful daughter Cassidy and their two dogs Sienna and Guinness.

***ARTIST STATEMENT***

"If You'll Forgive the Pun"

The "Pun" as defined by the Oxford American Dictionary:
"a joke exploring the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words that sound alike but have different meanings."

In my work, I deconstruct the English language by use of the pun. I started doing these pun-based paintings in college out of a passive aggressiveness towards my painting instructor who commented that "it isn't what you paint, but how you paint it". I didn't understand why it couldn't be both. So I gave one of my paintings a pun-based title to which one of my colleagues said, "I think you have something there, you should go with it."

The type of paintings that I do appeal to me personally for the humorous aspect and the witty form of intellectual play. I enjoy the creative process of making the familiar bizarre and the bizarre familiar.

When I discover a pun, which can come from any number of avenues from reading , music, general conversation, etc., I have to make certain that when the word/phrase is broken down each new piece of visual imagery will be harmonious. At this point, I begin brainstorming and writing down ideas for the arrangements of this imagery. Sometimes, based on the type of pun, the arrangement of the images is inherent, but other times can be more of a challenge. I rarely do detailed sketches, but rather look for image references on the internet. This research can sometimes present me an idea that I had not considered or an entirely new idea for a painting.

Every time I pick up a paintbrush or mix colors I am striving to challenge myself and it is through this challenge that I hope to intrigue the viewer into taking a closer look, realizing that things aren't always as they first appear and also that every joke is a violation of an expectation.