Mixed Media Artist | Graphic Designer | Curator

Born in 1967 in Georgetown, Guyana, Richlin Ryan immigrated to the United States at the age of eight,
settling in Brooklyn, New York. Her artistic journey began early, with art classes at the Brooklyn Museum and later formal studies in graphic design at the Rochester Institute of Technology and The School of Visual Arts in New York City.

In 1991, Richlin married fellow artist Weldon Ryan, and together they founded Rich and Well Graphics,
Inc. Their professional and personal partnership flourished as Richlin honed her skills as a designer,
ultimately becoming the Art Director for IDD Magazine at Thompson Financial in New York City.
In 2004, Richlin relocated to Palm Coast, Florida, where she continued her design career while also
expanding her artistic endeavors. She became the creative force behind Greenup Magazine and Voice Youth Magazine for the Florida Endowment Foundation and served as the Art Director for OVT
Magazine. She has also curated numerous art exhibitions at prominent venues including Bethune-
Cookman University’s Performing Arts Center and Visual Gallery, and the Yvonne Scarlett-Golden Cultural and Educational Gallery.

Now focused exclusively on creating mixed media artwork, Richlin’s current body of work reflects a
fusion of her diverse creative background and her passion for storytelling through visual art. Her art

continues to evolve, embracing new techniques and concepts while maintaining a connection to her
cultural roots and rich personal history.

​

ARTIST STATEMENT

​

My paintings are vibrant, textured assemblages that explore the relationship between form, color, and
emotion. The works evolve through a layered, almost tactile conversation between me and the canvas, where figures and ground shift constantly until harmony is achieved. Each piece reflects my personal journey of self-expression—an ongoing process of confronting, navigating, and balancing the complexities of thought and feeling. The subject of my work is not fixed; it fluctuates between abstract gestures and suggestive forms. I use color tissue paper and acrylic paint to create layers that resonate with an emotional intensity, giving form to the unseen. The physicality of mark-making and layering on canvas mirrors the inner dialogue I experience, translating the abstract into something palpable. The energetic brushstrokes, the torn edges of paper, and the interplay of bold color are all metaphors for the fluctuating nature of our inner lives, constantly in motion, searching for clarity and connection.

I liken this process to a dance—one that feels spontaneous yet rooted in a deep understanding of my
materials and how they interact. As I layer color and texture, I respond to the canvas, allowing the work
to evolve in ways that feel both instinctive and deliberate. The result is a rich, tactile surface that
encapsulates both the energy of creation and the emotional landscape beneath it. Through these layered compositions, I seek to convey the complexity of human experience—the push and pull between chaos and order, certainty, and uncertainty, calm and intensity. My artwork serves as a
vessel through which my emotions and thoughts are communicated, capturing the raw, physical energy of the process while revealing glimpses of the intangible, deeply felt moments that drive it.

​

MY PROCESS

My art is a journey of exploration—an investigation into the materials I’m drawn to and the discoveries
that emerge along the way. The creative process is intentionally planned with the expectation of
uncovering new possibilities, pushing boundaries, and embracing what could be.

The most exciting part of creating art for me is discovering these new possibilities. This is why I am
particularly drawn to working with mixed media on canvas. In this body of work, I explore the interaction of tissue paper with acrylic paints and inks, which allows me to create translucent layers of color that shift and play with one another. These materials also lend a textural quality to the surface, inviting both visual and tactile engagement. After early exposure to toxic materials like rubber cement, I now consciously choose non-toxic materials, prioritizing health in my creative practice.

I begin each piece by removing all color and shade from my photographic reference. I reduce the image to its most fundamental form—lines or solid black-and-white shapes. This allows me to focus on the dominant characteristics of my subject and set the stage for dramatic contrast. I then reintroduce color into the piece, sometimes overlapping forms and creating abstract color shapes that evolve naturally as I work. These bold colors provide volume, shade, and texture, allowing the piece to take on an organic quality.

Though my process is often intuitive, a degree of planning is involved. I intentionally use vivid, saturated colors because I want my work to communicate a sense of freedom and spirituality. I aim to evoke emotion in the viewer, drawing them into the world I create and sharing my passion for the subject through energetic color and form. Ultimately, I want my work to be an invitation to experience joy, liberation, and connection.

Even in my more socially conscious works, I believe in the power of color to inspire hope. Through my art, I seek to offer a sense of possibility—an emotional and spiritual journey that encourages the viewer to trust in discovery and in the process of creation. While not every piece is a success, the journey itself is always valuable, and every exploration brings its own rewards.

​

EXHIBITED:

• Art Collective Gallery, St Augustine, FL 2023 - Present Group Exhibition
• Gallery Guichard, Chicago, IL 2022 - Present Group Exhibition
• Butterfield Garage Gallery, St Augustine, FL 2023 - 2024 Group Exhibition
• Gallery 500, Daytona Beach, FL 2024FAWA Group Exhibition
• Art League of Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach, FL 2015 - Present Group Exhibition
• St Augustine Art Association, St Augustine, Fl 2024-Present Group Exhibition
• Museum of Art and Science, Daytona Beach, FL 2023 Group Exhibition
• NAWA New Members Exhibition, NY, NY 2023 Group Exhibition
• FemArt Gallery, Jacksonville, FL 2023 Group Exhibition
• The Larimer Arts Center Palatka, FL 2023 Group Exhibition
• The RITZ Theater and Museum, Jacksonville, FL 2023 Group Exhibition
• Ormond Memorial Art Museum 2023 Group Exhibition
• McRae 10th Annual Fine Art Home Show, Washington, DC 2022 Group Exhibition
• Art Beat Miami, Miami, FL 2022 Group Exhibition
• The RITZ Theater and Museum, Jacksonville, FL 2022 Group Exhibition
• Florida Artist Group, The South Gallery - Nathan H Wilson Center for the Arts,
Florida State College Jacksonville - South Campus, FL. 2022 Group Exhibition
• Museum of DeLand, FL 2022 Solo Exhibition
• HECDC Cultural Center, Jacksonville, FL 2022 Group Exhibition
• Hannibal Square Heritage Center, Orlando, FL 2022 Group Exhibition
• The RITZ Theater and Museum, Jacksonville, FL 2021 Group Exhibition
• Ormond Memorial Art Museum 2021 Solo Exhibition
• Gallery Guichard, Chicago, IL 2021 Group Exhibition
• Art & History Museum Maitland, FL 2021 Group Exhibition
• Alice and William Jenkins Gallery, Orlando, FL 2021 Group Exhibition
• Six Summit Gallery, N.Y., N.Y., 2021 Group Exhibition
• Florida Artist Group, Dunedin, FL. 2021 Group Exhibition

• Art Fort Lauderdale Fair, Fort Lauderdale, FL 2020 Group Exhibition
• The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Museum of Art 2019 – 2020 Group Exhibition
• The RITZ Theater and Museum, Jacksonville, FL 2019 – 2020 Group Exhibition
• Reddi - Arts Gallery 1037, Jacksonville, FL 2019 Group Exhibition
• Yvonne Scarlett-Golden Cultural and Educational Center Gallery,
Daytona Beach, FL 2019 Solo Exhibition
• Lightner Museum, St. Augustine, FL 2018 Group Exhibition
• The RITZ Theater and Museum, Jacksonville, FL 2018 Group Exhibition
• African American Museum of Art, Deland, FL 2018 Solo Exhibition
• The Larimer Arts Center Palatka, FL 2018 Group Exhibition
• Jacksonville Public Library, Jacksonville, FL 2017 Group Exhibition
• Calypso Fine Art Gallery, Bunnell, FL 2016 - 2017 Group Exhibition
• The RITZ Theater and Museum, Jacksonville, FL 2016 Group Exhibition
• SALVO Art Project, Bunnell, FL 2016 Group Exhibition
• Clover’s Fine Art Gallery, NY 2015 Group Exhibition
• Yvonne Scarlett-Golden Cultural and Educational Center Gallery,
Daytona Beach, FL 2015 Group Exhibition
• Bethune-Cookman University PAC/Visual Arts Gallery, Daytona Beach, FL 2014
Group Exhibition
• The Hollingsworth Gallery, Palm Coast, FL 2013 Group Exhibition
• The Flagler County Art League, Palm Coast, FL 2013 Group Exhibition

PUBLICATION:

• Orlando Arts Magazine – Cover January/February 2021
• DMI: Design Management Institute Journal - Vol.28, Issue 2-2017

​

ORGANIZATION:
• NAWA
• FLWA
• STAAA
• Florida Artist Group
• Association of African American Museums
• Art League of Daytona Beach

​

AWARDS:

• Second Place: “Sydney I Florida Artist Group 2024
• Judge’s Choice: “Sydney FB” Art League of Daytona Beach 2024
• First Place: “Loving My Fro” St Augustine Art Association 2024
• Merit: “Sydney III” Art League of Daytona Beach 2024
• Distinction: “Sydney IV” Art League of Daytona Beach 2023
• Distinction: “Sydney II” Art League of Daytona Beach 2023
• Merit: “Sydney I” Art League of Daytona Beach League 2023
• Second Place: “Lime Street Yardi’s, GT” Art League of Daytona Beach 2021
• Distention: “Billie, Lady Sings the Blues, Art League of Daytona Beach 2021
• Honorable Mention: “Nina Blue” Art League of Daytona Beach 2019

• Third Place: “Cattleya” Art League of Daytona Beach 2019
• Honorable Mention: “Nina Red” Art League of Daytona Beach 2018
• Honorable Mention: “Strong Not Angry” Art League of Daytona Beach 2018
• Achievement Award: “Soaring Above the Cranes” Art League of Daytona Beach
2017
• Third Place: “Color Splash” Flagler County Art League 2011
• First Place: “Rescue Me” Flagler County Art League 2011
• Best in Show: “Drop Dead Gorgeous” Flagler County Art League2010
• First Place: “Butterfly” Flagler County Art League 2009

​

​

Web:  https://www.richlinryan.com/
FB:  https://www.facebook.com/richlin.ryan
IG:  https://www.instagram.com/richlinryanart/

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​