A live painter on cherry blossoms and what made her smile.
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Answers What made you smile today? and If you could ask people around the world one question, what would you ask them? · see how other cities answered →
Five minutes at First Friday in Denver, at a gallery on the art walk, with a painter working live in the middle of the room. It is a question of the week piece: the interviewer explains the series, the hundred dollars for people who take part, and that answers have come in from Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya and India, then asks Ryan where she is from. Not from here, it turns out. “I’m from Illinois. Moved here about 3 years ago and just got new creative flu moving out here and painting ever since.” On First Friday itself: “Oh man, there’s so many things about First Friday. So many artists. We’ve got a lot of music out here. The people are so great. So much fun energy.” What she returns to is other people: “Every time I talk to new people, I feel creative.”
She is the only person painting in a room full of hung work, which surprises her as much as anybody. “I’m very shocked, honestly. There’s usually a couple other people here as well.” How she got the spot is unglamorous and she says so plainly: “my boyfriend works here”.
The painting itself gets the closest description on the tape. “this is an acrylic painting. I’ve been super inspired by cherry blossoms lately”, she says, and “I’m a huge fan of marbles and bubbles”. The title carries the idea. “this piece is called reflection. It’s kind of embodying the reflection of both the artworks and how the cherry blossoms aren’t around for too long, but they’re still just as beautiful at all times.” Asked who influences her, she name drops without hesitation and recommends everyone in the room: “Morgan Mandala is definitely one of my biggest inspirations.”
The weekly question is what made her smile, and the answer is the night she is in. “being here tonight with everybody. I feel like I had kind of a rough week at work and coming here and just kind of letting that all go, losing myself in the painting and getting to share with everybody, kind of talk to new people just brings warmth to my heart.” On the state of the world she is short: “It’s crazy out there. Um, from the weather to just the news, it’s all insane”, and a room like this is where she sets it down.
Her own question for the world is about fuel. “What motivates you? What keeps you going? What makes you want to wake up and get out of bed?” To anyone under twelve: “Be as creative as you can and enjoy your year while you can.” She misses being a kid, she says, and goes back to the canvas.
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