I find great pleasure and intrigue in the idiosyncrasies of our physical world that go almost entirely uncared for and unnoticed. Human beings have cultivated and utilized the elements of this planet to such a degree that it has created a hierarchy of material and very little of it sustains purpose or function for very long. We are inundated with marketing and advertisement persuading us to consume a seemingly infinite array of shiny, new products. So we do and the following process ensues: The packaging gets destroyed and discarded immediately. The product gets used and abused until it is no longer functional or desired. Then the item gets trashed and added to the ever-growing masses of abandoned stuff. The process starts again and the pile grows. But I love what others leave. I see indescribable beauty in the colors, shapes, lines, and textures of this detritus. It inspires me and ignites my creativity. As an artist, I feel the potential energy inherent in all the objects, materials, and physical details that surround me. I see it as my part to make others aware of this energy and beauty. I do this by finding, collecting, and repurposing obsolete material into sculpture. In creating my work, I endeavor to allow the wondrous properties of the material to guide my decisions as a maker. The formal language of my sculpture is directly informed by the material. My control as an artist lies not in having complete mastery over the material, but in trusting its integrity and beauty. I make compositions that showcase that which I find special about the material I use.

Ryan Walker