Ocean and Rain Art by Tom Ryan
I was born and raised in Pennsylvania, but it was
our annual trips to both the Jersey shore and Florida which forged my
fascination with the ocean. While other kids were playing in the sand, I
remember sitting on the beach with my sketchbook and drawing the water
in front of me, envisioning treacherous storms at sea and prowling
sharks below the surface. After high school, I attended an art school
outside of Philly, but switched over to Penn State University, where I
graduated with a Bachelor of Art degree. In 2012, after spending nearly
every summer in Florida since the early 1970's, my family and I
relocated permanently to the sunshine state.
Today, I continue to pursue my passion of art. The reoccurring themes in
my work include: sharks and sea-life; storms; life in Florida - at the
beach, at the theme parks, and beneath the waves; and anything I find
interesting. All of my original paintings are created with seawater or
rainwater, depending on the subject. I specifically use ocean or
rainwater from the particular place I'm painting.
For prints, I continue this thought by signing the print with seawater
or rainwater from the particular location.
For example, for my Jaws movie-inspired paintings and prints, I use
ocean water collected from the coast of Martha's Vineyard, where the
1975 film was shot.
In addition to traditional brushes, I use improvised painting implements
- including seashells, sponges, fossil shark teeth, seabird feathers,
and driftwood - to create each traditional-style piece. I enjoy painting
in different styles, and combining different mediums. I like to
experiment and am always looking to create something unexpected.
In my spare time I enjoy the three S's - surfing, sailing, and scuba
diving, and when the waves are calm, I like to take my sketch book or
canvas out on my board with me for a new perspective. I also like to
travel and visit new places around the state of Florida - which has
countless towns and beaches to explore and paint.
In addition to painting, I'm also an
author of undersea mysteries, including "A Sword for Pizarro," and the
forthcoming sequel "Devil Ray." Signed copies are available
here
or clicking on the book cover or banner below.
Dive Into an Undersea Mystery