Earlier, I showed you a sneak preview of the paintings I created for the CNHED'S Art In Action Event this coming Dec 1st at Longview Gallery in DC. In hope to inspire you to join me as well as the other 9 artists and the DC area non-profits we are celebrating, I decided to show you a bit more...
Here are the two pieces I have up for auction this coming Thursday from 6:30 to 8:30 pm and the stories behind their creation.
Birthday Cakes, oil on canvas, 40"x34", 2011 Megan Ryan ~SOLD~
The juxtaposition of colors within the frame of the canvas
is among the primary forces behind my work. Paired with editorial portraiture,
the composition remains as important as the subject itself. My work focuses on
people and their environments, how these environments shape and define them as
a person and part of a culture as a whole. The inspiration I received in my
meetings with the staff and clients at N Street Village was a resounding
sense of comfort in a nurturing environment.
In Birthday Cakes, I celebrate the gift of
self-empowerment and individuality. To me, birthdays are a celebration of life,
shared amongst family and friends and I felt this reference appropriately
highlights the individual attention N Street Village provides to their
clients. In my meetings with the women, I felt invited to share and celebrate
their “rebirth.”
Made Anew, dyptich, oil on linen, 26"x26"/16"x26", 2011 Megan Ryan ~SOLD~
The crafting activities that members of N Street Village
enjoy include painting and drawing, collages, and knitting and crotchet. They most recently participated in the Hyperbolic
Crotchet Coral Reef, a collaborative project exhibited at the Smithsonian
this past spring. Their participation in
this event highlights their commitment to using new skills to represent
themselves in society. Made Anew
highlights the honor of re-inventing and expressing one’s self via an
artistic medium or craft.
Here are some photos I took while visiting the women at N Street Village that provide a glimpse into their nurturing environment and the inspiration I gathered while there.
What began as a nightly shelter to provide basic services for the growing homeless population in DC founded in 1972 by members of Luther Place Memorial Church , N street Village has now evolved into a comprehensive continuum of care for homeless and
low-income women sited in a 150,000 square foot facility at 14th and N
Streets, NW in the Logan Circle neighborhood of D.C.
They all chuckled at my obsession to photograph the vermilion hue of the punch bowl during a monthly activities session. I told them that inspiration can come from ordinary objects, for everything has a spark. During the session, the women cut and collaged pictures from fashion magazines, decorating a lifestyle they would like to represent. I recognized that, no matter what your situation is, many women can't shake the need for shiny heeled shoes to represent their inner fashionista.
Some of the other women collaborated on decorating a sign representing their community.
Others decorated their own footprint to promote their role in the Fannie Mae Help the Homeless Walkathon that took place on November 19th with a goal to provide nearly 900 homeless and extremely low-income women with
access to our award-winning housing, employment, mental health, and
addiction recovery programs.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
