About

There are two of me at work in the studio: one is deliberate, contemplative, the other rash and restless. I rarely make preliminary drawings, but react instead to visual clues - a whiff of something real, but veiled, which I attempt to explore and expose on canvas. The process is mostly intuitive, involving much trial and more error.

Plunging straight into color may be haphazard, a reckless use of time and material, but I enjoy the immediacy and suspense of working at full throttle, allowing the stuff to surprise me.

I use oil for portraits and pieces requiring more precision or polish, and acrylic or water-based mediums for abstracts and bolder statements. Oil paintings are forged in the classical fashion, upright, at the easel, while the acrylics remain flat on the table or floor, to allow the saturated colors to flow.

Work

2000 -

Working independently in Hamburg

1995 - 2000

Working independently in Amsterdam

1993 - 1994

Florence Academy of Art, Italy

1990 - 1993

Pennsylvania School of Art and Design
private study in Atelier Richard House

1985 - 1989

BA, English and Philosophy Major, College of William and Mary

Exhibitions

2016

Galerie Hafenliebe, Hamburg, Germany

2014

Galerie Hafenliebe, Hamburg, Germany
Parkresidenz Galerie Alstertal, Hamburg, Germany
Clark County Historical Association, Art at the Mill, VA

2013

BVE, Hamburg, Germany
Clark County Historical Association, Art at the Mill, VA

2012

Clark County Historical Association, Art at the Mill, VA
Fabrik Der Kuenst, Hamburg, Germany

2011

Fabrik Der Kuenst, Hamburg, Germany
Clark County Historical Association, Art at the Mill, VA

2010

Galerie Im Elysée, Hotel Elysée, Hamburg

2009

Clark County Historical Association, Art at the Mill, VA
Clark County Historical Association, Art at the Mill, VA

2008

Clark County Historical Association, Art at the Mill, VA
Künstlerhaus eins eins, Hamburg-Osdorf

2007

Clark County Historical Association, Art at the Mill, VA
Galerie Karkredder, Gadendorf-Panker, Ostsee
Trowbridge-Lewis Galleries, Middleburg, VA

2006

Alumni Show, Florence Academy of Art, Italy
W.H. Patterson Gallery, London
Clark County Historical Association, Art at the Mill, VA

2005

Künstlerhaus eins eins, Hamburg-Osdorf
Clark County Historical Association, Art at the Mill, VA

2004

Gimsinghoved Museum, Struer, Denmark
The Brigham Galleries, Nantucket, MA, USA
Künstlerhaus eins eins, Hamburg-Osdorf
Kiskan Studios, Hamburg

2003

Century Gallery, Alexandria VA / Washington D.C.
Schlutius, Espey & Partner, Hamburg
Künstlerhaus eins eins, Hamburg-Osdorf

2001

Künstlerhaus eins eins, Hamburg-Osdorf

2000

Holland Art Fair, The Hague
Galerie De Twee Pauwen, The Hague

1998

Galerie Zona, Amsterdam
Holland Art Fair, The Hague

1996

Galerie Zona, Amsterdam

1994

Florence Academy of Art, Italy

1992

Venable-Neslage Gallery, Washington D.C.

1991

Venable-Neslage Gallery, Washington D.C./p>

1990

Venable-Neslage Gallery, Washington D.C.

Atelier Ryan Bongers - ryan@ryanbongers.de - Jeddinger Dorfstrasse 16, 27374 Visselhövede, Germany