ARTIST INFO     RYAN Y. CUNNINGHAM Born:  1970, Oklahoma City, OK Law Firm Website: Cunningham & Mears    EDUCATION B.A. University of Texas, 1992 J.D. University of Oklahoma, 1996 CURRENT GALLERY AFFILIATION Michael Henington Fine Art 802 Canyon Rd. Santa Fe, NM 87501 http://www.heningtonfineart.com/ Howell Gallery 6432 N. Western Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73116 http://www.howellgallery.com/ PERMANENT STATE COLLECTIONS Oklahoma Supreme Court, Art of the Oklahoma Judicial Center   COMPETITION Runner up, West Region, New American Painters Juror: Andrea Karnes, Curator, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth SOLO EXHIBITIONS "Transcending History: A vision of Oklahoma" Oklahoma State Capitol, East Gallery, January through March 2010 "A Study of the American Horse" Nova, October 2006 "Debut" Deep Fork, March 2006   GROUP EXHIBITIONS "OAG National Juried Show", IAO Gallery, May 2010 "Dog Days of Summer", Suzanne Wallace Mears Gallery, August - Sep 2009 "Our Town"; City Arts Center, November 2008 "Cafe City Arts"; City Arts Center, January 2008 “Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition 12x12”; Fred Jones Center, September 2007 “OKC Arts Spectacular”; Oklahoma City Stage Center, June 2007 "Cafe City Arts"; City Arts Center, January 2007 "Heroes and Outlaws"; City Arts Center, November 2006   PUBLICATIONS The Daily Oklahoman Sunday Edition, February 14, 2010 The Ardmorite, January 26, 2010 Oklahoma Gazette, January 20, 2010 Oklahoma Today, January February 2010 Oklahoma Gazette, November, 2008 NW Style, November 2008 Oklahoma Today, September/October, 2008 Downtown Monthly Magazine, October, 2007 Southwestern Publishing, March 2007 Downtown Monthly, November 2006 Daily Oklahoman, October 2006 Oklahoma Gazette, June 2006 Oklahoma Gazette March 2006 BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION Ryan Cunningham was born, raised and educated through high school in Oklahoma. While in high school, Ryan realized that his love for creating art was transforming into a serious passion. During his school years he achieved numerous award for his work, was published and was chosen for the prestigious Young Talent in Oklahoma award. Although his interest in art never waned, Ryan felt obligated to pursue other areas of study after high school. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and University of Oklahoma College of law soon thereafter. Next he established a successful law firm in downtown Oklahoma City. Through all this, creating art was never far from his mind. After taking a number of years off, Ryan Cunningham revived his art career in 2006 with a stunning debut one man show that left almost no piece unsold. Since that time, Ryan has followed up that success with representation by esteemed galleries in Oklahoma and New Mexico. He garners positive press due to numerous interviews and articles about him in both newspapers and magazines. Ryan continues to participate in both group and solo exhibitions. Ryan Cunningham's work has been acquired by collectors for both corporate and private collections stretching across the country. Recently, "Evening Entertainment" was acquired by the State of Oklahoma for permanent display in the Oklahoma Supreme Court Judicial Center on the State Capitol Complex. Ryan looks forward to pursuing his burgeoning art career and continuing to share his love for creating art. ARTIST STATEMENT Art is communication. Whether the art be music, literature, dance or sculpture, I believe that the purpose of art is communication. I am a painter. Thus, I choose painting as the artistic method with which I communicate. Although I sometimes paint other things, I consider myself a figurative painter first. Lately, I have been pursuing a series of subject matter that can fit into two major series or themes. I call these two themes, Modern West and Modern Life. Below is a quick general discussion of what I am communicating with my work in these two themes. My Modern West work grows out of my interest in the myth of the American West. I am a native and nearly life long resident of Oklahoma. In Oklahoma, the myth of the American West is alive, well and nearly inescapeable. Thus, it has been an important influence in shaping who I am and it is natural that it expresses itself in my work. Paintings in my Modern West series can depict cowboys, native americans, rodeo, horses and other animals. Rather than approach this Western work in a traditional way, I attempt to present my work with innovative choices of color and composition. By presenting my vision in this way, I am commenting on how the myth of the American West continues to be relevant, vigorous and evolutionary. My Modern Life pieces grow out of my fascination with what I perceive as the ever increasing speed today's world. Of course, we all can't help but be a part of modern life. Mobile phones, email, the internet and satellite television combine to constantly bombard us with an ocean of information. The frequency of intrusions into our lives continues to increase. Motion is the element that helps convey my comment on the speed of modern life. My paintings dealing with this theme typically depict subject matter that is in motion. I also convey motion by employing the use of vigorous brushwork leaving the brushwork raw and easily visible by the viewer At times my work will combine elements of both themes and thus not be easily categorized as either. Whether my work is focused on my Modern West or my Modern Life themes, I think that all my work is unified through a recognizable style. While working in either theme, I employ the same process, I strive to make bold use of color and I challenge myself to make interesting compositional choices. My process and choice of color and composition help to provide a unity and cohesiveness to my work regardless of my choice of subject matter or theme. While I believe that art is communication and I have espoused some about what I am communicating, the beauty of art is that each viewer has their own conversation with each work of art. Each viewer brings his or her own experiences to the work and may pick up on some, all or none of what I am communicating. I believe that each viewer's interpretation of the communication is as valid as the next and even as valid as the artist's own. I look forward to learning about how my work communicates with its viewers. If you see me, please don't hesitate to share.