by Monika Blichar

Ryan Broderick first came to our studio in North Van with his dad in 2015. He was barely 19 at the time and on record, our youngest exhibiting artist. Though he was young, his talent and drive to succeed in the arts has been a pleasure to watch since his first exhibit with us. He has had his work up in galleries, arts councils and has been creating innovative and unique work since we met him and likely, long before then! We caught up with Ryan and look forward to his exhibition at the 2018 Vancouver event on May 11, 2018 at Telus World of Science.

1-What inspires you as an artist?

I strongly believe that art comes in many forms, but it is all created for the same reason. It is a form of expression. Certain moments and interests in my life assist in inspiring what and how I paint. I am a story teller, but without words being spoken or written. I provide the viewer a story with the intention of sharing similar emotions through the aesthetics.

2-You showed at AWE 2017 and one of your pieces, the razor blades, was really striking and made impressions on a lot of guests. Can you tell us about this piece?

In this piece, I explore the idea of creating skin with X-Acto blades. Giving a found object a new purpose was accomplished by using the two different coloured blades to create the human head. The X-Acto blades create a sense of dimension, as well as a layer of protection for the figure. The eyes have been painted in order to create a glare that pulls the viewer into feeling this figure is a real human. The eyes create questioning of the thoughts going on in the figures mind. The X-Acto blades on the other hand, creates a distance and pushes the viewer back. The X-Acto blades are to represent the first layer of skin that humans put up against others.

3-What mediums do you like to work in the most?

I ideally work with acrylic paint as it dries fast. This allows me to work on a piece for a long duration of time. However, I have recently found an enjoyment using found objects, for instance the razor blades. I found this to be a challenging material to work with, but it gives a mesmerizing result. The use of the razor blades created a dimensional wall piece rather than a flat image.

4-As an artist, what do you think has been the most significant piece that you have made to date?

My razor blade art piece has had the biggest impact on people and has created the most conversation. The style creates a distinct touch that can further be noticed as a piece done by me. This art piece takes on a new aspect on materials and a new element to art. I found a lot of people were surprised once they realized what it was made out of and it hadthem asking questions. The want of asking questions is exactly what I try to create through my art.

5-Will you have Art World Expo special offers or limited edition works available this year?

I will not have any special offers or limited edition works but I will have on display more art like the razor blade piece. These will be ongoing art projects I do over the next few months and could range in materials. The Art World Expo is intended to be the first showing of these pieces for the public to view in person. Photographs online will be the only interaction to get a feel for the art before getting up close and personal.

6-Where would you like to see your art career go in the next 5 years?

I plan on having my Master’s Degree in the Fine Arts Visual Arts. This will hopefully open up opportunities to have galleries represent me and allow my art to be more available to the public.

To view more work from Ryan Broderick, please visit his Facebook Page.