Exploring – Artist Insights from Ryan Kohler

“As I continue exploring what I can do with acrylics and collage, I’ve expanded my materials to include found papers, posters, maps, flyers, brochures, adverts, birthday cards, fortune cookies, and other found, saved, and collected papers,” shares artist Ryan Kohler. “You name it.”

My Studio’s a Mess – Artist Insights from Ryan Kohler

“The process and results are a bit like palette knife marks, except I have much more control, and if I don’t like the piece I’ve just added to the painting, I simply remove it,” shares Kohler. “I have a window of time before the glue permanently adheres the paper to the canvas, and even if I am beyond that window, I still have the option to continue gluing more paper to cover up any mistakes I’ve made. “

The Paint Does All the Hard Work, and the Paper Gets All the Credit – Artist Insights from Ryan Kohler

Each component added is like a revelation, revealing something that wasn’t as defined as before—the hull of a boat, a bird’s wing, the shadow’s edge.  Sometimes I walk back and forth from my easel after each piece, carefully observing how the painting changes from a distance.

Painting with Paper – Ryan Kohler’s Solo Summer Show

The result of this work is similar to palette knife oil paintings. Parallel with distinct planes of color and various shapes layered over each other.  For Kohler, the paper’s advantage is the workability, clarity of color, and the ability to work in small areas without the risk of the muddiness that can sometimes come with an oil painting.