Harrington Instructor Spotlight: Ryan Kapp (Part II)
August 31, 2010 by Harrington College of Design
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This feature is continued from yesterday.
Ryan Kapp, Harrington College of Design Foundations instructor, has been teaching at our college for 8 years. When I asked Ryan to describe his inspiration for his work, Ryan commented, “I am inspired by my everyday surroundings, mid-century modern design, surf/skate culture, my Midwestern roots, the Chicago silk screen community and creativity in general. There are a whole slew of painters that have influenced me as well, but two whose influence is evident in my recent work would have to be Fairfield Porter and Alex Katz. I enjoy depicting figures in space, often surrounded by flat colors and sometimes shown engaged in some kind of activity like surfing, swimming, playing music, sunbathing at the park etc. I usually depict these figures in a small scale so that they appear as part of a bigger whole. Painting small people reminds me of playing with Star Wars action figures as a kid. I use large areas of areas of flat color to serve a decorative purpose, but also to leave room for the viewer to fill in their own story and complete the painting. I paint because it is a playful and creative way to spend my time. it is important to me to retain that sense of play in my everyday life and I hope that comes through in my artwork.”
See more of Ryan’s work, including new images of recent his recent paintings, prints and illustrations at his site: ryankapp.com. Coming up in September, Ryan will be participating in the Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago. Keep reading tomorrow to learn more about the Fair!About Ryan Kapp:
Ryan Kapp grew up in Columbus, Ohio where he spent his formative days drawing and skateboarding with his twin brother and friends. He studied studio art at both Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and the Columbus College of Art & Design. In 2000, he moved to Chicago to attend graduate school at Northwestern University. In his recent work, Ryan draws upon imagery from his native Midwestern surroundings and mixes it with a graphic sensibility. His paintings explore ideas of reduction and stylistic juxtaposition that work together to create an environment driven by mood. Ryan currently resides in Chicago where he divides his time between teaching and painting.
Painting and print courtesy Ryan Kapp
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Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Alex Katz, Columbus College of Art and Design, Design foundations, Fairfield Porter, Harrington College of Design, Harrington Instructor, Miami University, Midwestern art, Northwestern University, Renegade Craft Fair, Ryan Kapp | Leave a Comment
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