Garnet Ryen

Artist Statement

My work is rooted in curiosity, experimentation, and the simple pleasure of making. I am drawn to organic forms, expressive line, pattern, movement, and color, often beginning with familiar subjects and allowing them to evolve through repetition, abstraction, and play.

I work across traditional and digital media, including drawing, ink, marker, and digital illustration. Rather than approaching each piece with a predetermined outcome, I often begin with a question: What happens if I repeat this form, change the scale, limit the palette, simplify the line, or push the pattern further? That process of discovery is an essential part of the work.

Whether I am exploring botanical forms, translating quick figure sketches into distilled compositions, or developing abstract imagery inspired by patterns found in nature, I am interested in the space between observation and invention. My work embraces imperfection, unexpected turns, and the visual surprises that emerge when experimentation is allowed to lead.

At its heart, my practice is about curiosity and joy—the joy of looking closely, making freely, and discovering something I did not quite expect.