Megan Ryan grew up in a small town in the outer suburbs of Chicago, surrounded by art within her family, she grew up in a heavily wooded area which surrounded her childhood home where there were also many forest preserves that she would frequently explore as a child and a young adult, these have all inspired her artwork immensely. Megan found her love for ceramics at fourteen in her sophomore year of high school, she then immersed herself in learning the craft and dedicating time to build up her skills for college. After she graduated High School, she then attended Waubonsee Community college for two years (2017-2019) where she took ceramics classes and studied under Doug Jeppson learning about atmospheric firing and developing her skills further. After those two years she moved to Grand Junction Colorado and enrolled in Colorado Mesa University's Bachelor's in Art program (2019-2023) where she studied under and mentored by KyoungHwa Oh. Megan graduated with her Bachelors in studio art in December of 2023.
Artist Biography
As a ceramic artist, I make functional work that combines aesthetics, form, and function. I am greatly inspired by nature, which I was surrounded by in my childhood home and is a theme I use throughout my work. I found peace in nature as a child and now find the same peace in the creative process of making functional ceramics. In my work, I use underglazes, transparent glazes, ash glazes, and selective color in cone six oxidation firings to achieve vibrant colors. I use techniques like Mishima, carving, surface design and natural themes to create layers and depth within my work. I make functional pottery as a way to enrich the everyday lives of others through the interaction and intimacy of day-to-day use of my pieces.