Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Orewiler.
Hi Ryan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was raised in the American Midwest by blue-collar craftsmen, teachers, and artists that gave me the tools and knowledge to develop my creative abilities. As a boy, I mainly used clay to build animals and people and often drew stories with robots. My first cityscape was created when I was eight of my first visit to New York City in 1985. Throughout school, I excelled among my peers at creating and never planned to become an artist until after a serious accident my senior year of high school. I was fortunate to have the ability to walk and use my hands so I decided to apply to art colleges and was awarded several scholarships but decided to stay in the city I grew up in and committed to Columbus College of Art and Design (majoring in Illustration and focusing on painting). Shortly after graduating from CCAD, I began my career mainly as a Fine Artist exhibiting in galleries throughout Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, New York, and eventually Berlin, Germany in 2018.
Since 2015, I have been fortunate to work in my Franklinton, Ohio studio and constantly train myself to produce various bodies of work specializing in a specific voice or theme that illustrates stories to educate people. Several of my goals are to continue evolving as an artist, create unique innovative paintings, build large-scale interactive art – public sculptures and installations and create murals nationally and internationally.
For over twenty years, I have also donated my paintings and handmade prints annually to various charities and organizations that share missions to help support individuals and impact communities. In 2020, I produced a mural project (5 murals) bringing awareness to mental health, dogs being one of the best healers for humans, supporting homeless individuals, and a mural about Mother Earth “Gaia” and her endangered animals.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Throughout my career, I’ve never been asked this question in all of the interviews I’ve done. Thank you for asking this great question.
I initially wanted to serve in the military and follow my grandfather’s paths until an accident changed my life. When I arrived to college, I wrote the word “dedication” under it. I grew up without a cell phone and access to the internet. I have spent numerous hours researching projects at the main library downtown. Throughout college, I was fortunate to surround myself with unique and talented peers while studying/ training in college. We spent many sleepless nights working on handmade projects and illustrations for classes. – the road wasn’t smooth, and the struggles were real, especially as I became a professional artist. One of the most difficult things is being a professional artist and owning/ running a business – from the ground up. You are required to either pay people to help build your business or learn each skill needed to operate effectively. I chose to train myself over the years to become a web/graphic designer, fashion designer among many other hats.
All of the struggles professionally (as an artist and as a business owner) became valuable skills later in life or lessons to teach other artists. I value each challenge ahead of me because it is crucial to building my character and knowledge.
*One of the most difficult challenges – in my art career – was to create three art installations (and a painting) in an old iron factory in Berlin, Germany in 2018.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My entire life has been interconnected with art history and the aspect of constructing things. It is in my nature to appreciate the architecture and originality in each work of art and structure. My connection with these two worlds has influenced my concepts and art from the beginning. I’m mainly inspired by deep conceptual ideas, educating, telling stories, modern art, world history, urban life, culture, environmentalism, animal rescue, mental health, holistic health, mythology, and innovative art/ technology. My goal as an artist is to continue to grow and train myself using various media and all areas of art to fully understand each genre so that I can be better at inspiring myself and others who appreciate my craft. Currently, I’m enjoying the challenge of creating large-scale works and collaborating on creative projects with other artists, designers, fashionettes, photographers, organizations, and art enthusiasts.
2018 Berlin Art Week – Berlin, Germany: exhibited paintings and art installations and painted on the Berlin Wall in Maurer Park.
2019 Two solo exhibitions: “Places” at GVS and “BNC5” at Strongwater
2020 MURAL Project 22 – Organized and painted seven murals in six months highlighting: Mental Health, World Wildlife Fund, Socks for homeless – Bombas Socks, Holistic Healing – Chakra and U=me2 Murals, Gladden Community House and Columbus Humane Society.
2021 Fashion Week Columbus – The Melamacci Collection by OREWILER juried & selected for tone of the VIP Finale designers
Publications: Columbus Monthly
2022 Fashion is Art- Columbus Fashion Alliance + Short Norths Arts District for Gallery Hop: juried and selected to exhibit The Melamacci Collection at Marcia Evans Gallery and Torso
*Orewiler’s paintings, murals, and installations are in collections at; AC Hotel, Hilton Hotel, Nationwide, Children’s Hospital, and The Ohio State University (Gateway University District) among many others (see CV). His work has been published in the numerous magazines, including 614, Cityscene, Columbus Alive, C Magazine, Columbus Monthly, New York Post, New York Travel, Columbus Dispatch, and his large-scale murals were covered on NBC 4 and ABC- WSYX/ Good Day Columbus.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Yes. I learned many lessons about the world, others and myself. This experience led us to our roots and the challenges of solidarity. I lost several of my friends (all men) to mental illness and addiction in 2020 and dedicated my 2020 mural project to them. They were all influential to my art throughout my life.
– Condolences goes out to friends and families lost
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Orewiler.art
- Instagram: www.Instagram.com/orewiler.art
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artistryanorewiler
- Orewiler Apparel: https://www.orewiler.art/apparel
Image Credits
https://www.orewiler.art/mural-multicultural-roots-southside
Edmund Boateng
orewiler
