Tom Ryan

It’s safe to say that I was a bit of a comic “geek” growing up who dreamt of someday becoming a comic book artist. When I got to HS, the dream changed slightly, I was introduced to a new medium, ink on paper. I was never able to look at comics the same way. The precise line work found in comic illustrations is something that still influences my work to this day. By the time I was in college I was being inspired by the fantasy artists found in yearly releases of the book called Spectrum: The Best in Fantastical Art. After college I discovered several street artists that were evolving their art form and changing just how people viewed art on the streets.

I would say that my art is combination of all the things I loved in the past and present. My paintings consists of fantastical animals with a “street art” feel. They are brought to life using bright, vivid colors and bold line work. Where as my geek work is based off nostalgia, I draw inspiration from old gig posters combining that look and 1980’s pop culture references along with some epic video games.