Perryn Ryan Ford—Artist/Illustrator

Perryn Ryan Ford

Pure Leaf Mural, 2021-22

Perryn Ryan Ford Perryn Ryan Ford is a contemporary figurative illustrator and painter whose works honor the beautiful landscape of the female form.

Perryn’s art is an evocative celebration of movement. Abstract shapes and Expressive lines intertwine and mingle together to create Surrealist bodies that flow across the page with ease. The figure - focused compositions that Perryn creates serves as a mirror, reflecting into the world her personal, spiritual, and emotional growth.

Creating art has helped Perryn to reconnect with herself, strengthening her intuitive, introspective, and empathetic gifts. As a result, she uses her art to visually communicate with her audience the importance of fostering greater connection and community within ourselves and with the world around us.

Inspired by analogous color stories often found in nature, Perryn also draws inspiration from her former career as a technical designer in the fashion industry. Constructing garments that accentuate the natural peaks and valleys of the female form, has informed the way she deconstructs and reassembles the female figures in her work – the shapes representing each part of a beautiful garment, and the lines are the threads that hold everything together.

Originally from Washington D.C. and now based in Brooklyn, NY, Perryn studied art history at Philadelphia University where she earned her B.S. in Computer Information Systems. In addition, she has received formal arts education at The Corcoran School of The Arts and Parsons The New School.

Perryn has developed an aesthetic and body of work that’s captured the attention of brands like Kate Spade, Erin Condren, Good Housekeeping, Urban Outfitters, and Pressed Juicery. Most recently, her work was featured in two New York City murals as part of Pure Leaf Tea’s 2021 No Is Beautiful campaign. Her preferred creative mediums are watercolor, acrylic, gouache, and digital.

Perryn in her Brooklyn studio, 2021.

Transcending form, color, and texture, Perryn Ford’s refreshingly simple and beautiful illustrations bring to mind a lyrical and feminine mystique. Saying less is most definitely saying more. And, this is only one of the many things that are enticing about the work.

Perryn, we are so excited to be working together with you! We would love share more about you, your art, and your experience with our audience.

Can you tell us a bit about your journey?

It’s been a winding journey full of unexpected and life changing experiences. I’m originally from Washington D.C., but relocated to New York in 2008 to attend The New School’s continuing education fashion design program. I made the official leap into working in the fashion industry as a technical designer up until 2019.

I needed a break, so I quit my job to reconnect with doing more of the things that make me feel good, like roller skating, making art, hiking, and taking up new hobbies like photography. This was the catalyst that put me on this journey to becoming an artist and creative entrepreneur.

Did you always want to be an artist?

I’ve always wanted to be a fashion designer. In hindsight, it’s pretty adjacent to the kind of art that I create now. I started drawing fashion illustrations when I was 6 or 7. By third grade, my mom had gotten me a yearly subscription to Harper’s Bazaar magazine, I was obsessed, and from that moment decided that I wanted to be a fashion designer. I was very fortunate to have actualized this dream of becoming a designer and working in the fashion industry, but I realize now that it was simply a steppingstone to getting to where I am now.

What inspires you?

Women, myself, the stories of others, nature, spirituality, poetry, food. Everything really. Women are everywhere and a part of everything, so I can find inspiration all around me.

What was the first moment you realized you were an artist?

When I first reconnected with my practice of daily

drawing and watercolor painting in 2019. I used those daily exercises to express my sense of humor and add a bit of joy to my friends and family on social media, through colorful fruit and vegetable cartoons. I started getting really positive feedback and at that moment, I realized being an artist means expressing yourself while connecting with others through your work. At that moment I became an artist!

What are three words that resonate and convey the meaning of your work?

Sophisticated. Expressive. Surreal.

Describe your creative process.

It always starts with an idea, followed by a bit of research. I like to research color story ideas and figure references for complex poses. Once I’ve decided on the right pose(s) that embodies the energy or idea that I want to express, I begin sketching. I like to sketch digitally on my iPad to make for an easier experimentation process, where I can work in separate layers and move around different elements to build the composition. Once I have finalized the sketch, I can began to work in a new layers to create the final artwork. If I am creating a painting, I will redraw the sketch on my preferred foundation (canvas or watercolor paper), and then I can begin painting.

My attention span only allows me to work at about 3 to 4 hours at a time, so I like to take several days to finish new work.

Tell us about your technique.

Most of my work starts out as rough sketch, usually created digitally. Depending on my preferred finish or its intended purpose, I like to work with a variety of mediums from acrylic gouache paint, watercolor, or digital.

Do you listen to music while you paint and if so, what music most sparks your creativity?

I listen to music and podcasts while I work. I created an entire Creative Inspo playlist on Spotify that includes artists like Solange, Kelis, Taylor McFerrin, Binaural Beats, and a ton of other music that gets my creative juices flowing. For podcasts, I listen to a variety from NPR’s This American Life, to The Friend Zone, and Creative Pep Talk.

Has your artwork changed over the years?

My work is starting to change only now. When I

started created art as a career it was at the beginning of the pandemic. I felt like a lot of my work was heavily influenced by what was happening in the world. After two years, I felt like my work needed more joy and lightheartedness because everything around us so heavy.

So I’m starting to experiment more with vibrant color stories, playing up the surrealism a bit more, and incorporating witty, tongue in cheek themes into my work.

Do you have a vision for your future?

I do! My vision is to grow as both a commercial and fine artist. I enjoy and want to continue creating art for commercial use like retail, wholesale and licensing. But I would love to grow as a fine artist exhibiting my work publicly, through shows and exhibitions. In my vision, I live abroad in a vibrant, waterfront, metropolitan city like Lisbon, Portugal. I have amazing views of the Tagus River from my duplex apartment. Everyday I go for a walk along the river before making the short walk to my art studio - gallery space, where I make and display all of my art! This is what the vision looks like for now!

Tell us something about you that nobody knows.

My least favorite time of year is Fall in NYC, because I hate walking on all of the leaves that fall from the trees (LOL)! I know it sounds absolutely insane, but I hate walking on streets lined with piles of wet or dry leaves.

The feeling of soft, mushy ground under my feet drive me crazy! I will avoid walking down entire streets in my neighborhood just so I don’t have to walk on the leaves. Utter insanity!

If a Hollywood film were to be made about your life, who would play the lead role?

It would definitely be a toss-up between Lupita Nyong’o and Issa Rae. They’re both beautiful, but Lupita has a quiet sophistication that I think I have, and Issa has a humorous awkwardness and witticism that I know I have!

What inspired you to become an illustrator?

Becoming an illustrator was something that kind of chose me!. When I reconnected with my art making practice, the idea of being an illustrator hadn’t occurred to me. I was creating art for myself and to share with family and friends on Instagram. Once I started attracting the attention of other creatives, brands, and companies who resonated with my work, that is when the idea of becoming an illustrator occurred to me. Getting a glimpse into the type of career and life I could build as an illustrator, I decided to fully commit.

Describe your work environment/studio.

Currently I work in my home studio. It’s a cute little 120 sq ft room in my apartment, filled with hanging fairy lights, post cards and photos from my travels, books, undeveloped rolls of 35 mm film, my work desk, easel, and two huge windows that let in the best natural light!

What were your early influences?

From childhood up until now, I’ve been influenced by

everything from Barbie, to the supermodels of the 90s like Naomi and Linda, the Sailor Moon cartoons, Alexander McQueen, Frida Kahlo, 1950s pinup models and fashion editorials, and Isabel Blow to name a few.

What song would you chose as the soundtrack to your life?

4 Non Blondes’ What’s Up? I’ve evolved and my life has evolved so much since becoming an adult. This song reminds me that evolution never stops and it’s more than okay for me keep figuring out life as it happens!

If you weren’t an illustrator, what alternate career path might you have taken?

I would be a professional Lego® builder. I LOVE legos! I have Lego floral arrangements, New York, London, Paris lego cities, and I’m collecting more weekly. Someone has to build the life sized lego displays in the Lego stores, and I think I could turn that into the most fun career!

Who would you trade places with for a day?

I don’t know that I would trade places with anyone, because I like my life so far! However, there are people that I would love to spend the day with like Issa Rae, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Michaela Coel.

Who are your favorite artists?

I love Agnes Pelton’s use of color, symbolism, and fluid shapes; Le Corbusier’s abstract figurative work and compositions. I really love the less is more approach of Picasso’s continuous line animal drawings. Lastly, Dalí because he’s just beyond and I love that his work feels like stepping directly into the inner workings of his subconscious. His work makes we want to dive deeper into my own subconscious and connect with myself more.

What is your greatest influence?

My greatest influence are women. All women of all backgrounds, shapes, sizes.

What are you currently working on?

I’ve recently been accepted to exhibit my work in Saatchi’s The Other Art Fair in June. So right now, I’m working on new work for the fair!

What is your mantra?

Do more of the things that make you feel good!

Following this mantra is what’s led me to this blossoming career that I now have.

Kate Spade 2022 Licensing

Perryn Ryan Ford REPRESENTED BY

TRAFFIC 111 EAST 70TH STREET NEW YORK, NY 10021 + 1 212 734 0041 INFO@TRAFFIC-NYC.COM @TRAFFIC_NYC @PERRYNRYANART