"My work is obnoxiously large and unapologetically black. For a breadth of people who are simultaneously hyper visible and invisible, how can these individuals consistently be ignored. My images capture the mystique of melanin and captivate the conscious of untold stories that society has deemed myths and fables. It is through my work, I hope to tell the truth of people of the African Diaspora; it is through my images, I intend to liberate us all."
--Ryan Nichole Leary, Visual Artist
Ryan Nichole Leary was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, and her love for visual art started as early as one. Like most children, Leary was caught decorating the walls with markers and crayons. However, Allen and Darla Leary took this as an opportunity to encourage her creativity and used butcher paper to line the walls in the house so she can continue her murals. Leary would attend both Bowling Green State University (Art History) and University of Cincinnati (Art Education) as she grew into an artist, art historian and art educator. After numerous art exhibitions, lectures and teaching experiences in Cincinnati, Leary relocated to Chicago and was the Founding Visual Art Instructor at Butler College Prep (BCP). While at BCP, she shared her talent, skills, stories and passion with her leaders (students); she encouraged them to find their passion and let it lead the way. In 2016, Leary returned to Cincinnati and was an interim art instructor at Elementz and assisted in youth art development. Today, she continues to work as a visual artist, specializing in portraits, provides art history lectures at local institutions and blends her love for creativity and activism in her work. She describes her work as “Obnoxiously Large, Unapologetically Black.” She explains, “As an art historian, you see grandiose images of people that do not look like me, do not tell my narrative or story. Most images you see of Black people are inaccurate, incomplete and based on biases that paint us as inferior, a complete lie. For me, it is important to tell our story through pigments, hues, textures, truth and transparency. Unfortunately, so much of Black people’s lives have been dictated and controlled by hatred and vitriolic intent. The least I can do, as an artist, is capture our images and stories.”
"Any form of art is a form of power. It has impact; it can affect change. It can not only move us, it can make use move"
--Ossie Davis, 1974
--Ryan Nichole Leary, Visual Artist
Ryan Nichole Leary was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, and her love for visual art started as early as one. Like most children, Leary was caught decorating the walls with markers and crayons. However, Allen and Darla Leary took this as an opportunity to encourage her creativity and used butcher paper to line the walls in the house so she can continue her murals. Leary would attend both Bowling Green State University (Art History) and University of Cincinnati (Art Education) as she grew into an artist, art historian and art educator. After numerous art exhibitions, lectures and teaching experiences in Cincinnati, Leary relocated to Chicago and was the Founding Visual Art Instructor at Butler College Prep (BCP). While at BCP, she shared her talent, skills, stories and passion with her leaders (students); she encouraged them to find their passion and let it lead the way. In 2016, Leary returned to Cincinnati and was an interim art instructor at Elementz and assisted in youth art development. Today, she continues to work as a visual artist, specializing in portraits, provides art history lectures at local institutions and blends her love for creativity and activism in her work. She describes her work as “Obnoxiously Large, Unapologetically Black.” She explains, “As an art historian, you see grandiose images of people that do not look like me, do not tell my narrative or story. Most images you see of Black people are inaccurate, incomplete and based on biases that paint us as inferior, a complete lie. For me, it is important to tell our story through pigments, hues, textures, truth and transparency. Unfortunately, so much of Black people’s lives have been dictated and controlled by hatred and vitriolic intent. The least I can do, as an artist, is capture our images and stories.”
"Any form of art is a form of power. It has impact; it can affect change. It can not only move us, it can make use move"
--Ossie Davis, 1974