Ryn Clarke is a Cleveland-based visual artist, photographer, and educator who finds inspiration in the beauty of nature. Using both iPhone and digital SLR cameras, she explores a variety of photographic techniques, from composite photography to photopolymer gravure, encaustic art, and hand-colored prints. Ryn’s art practice is rooted in bringing together traditional and modern processes, allowing her to get creative while honoring the rich history of her craft.

Ryn holds a fine arts degree from Marymount University and has exhibited nationally and internationally. Her work is represented in private, corporate, and medical collections across the U.S. and can be found at The Bonfoey Gallery and Kenneth Paul Lesko Gallery in Cleveland, as well as Art Design Consultants in Cincinnati. Beyond creating, Ryn shares her expertise through workshops on Composite and iPhone Photography, inspiring creativity and exploration in others.

We asked Ryn about her art, creative process, and inspirations.

Can you tell us about your background as a digital artist? How did you get started in this field?

I have had a graphic design/photography company since the early ‘80s, so my artistic and photographic experience comes from many years of creating for other people. I distinctly remember buying my first Apple computer to begin changing over from manual design work on a drawing board to digital design work on the computer. It was such a small screen, I wonder to this day how I did it. 17 years ago, I began teaching myself this new computer program called Adobe Photoshop. It was a very heavily laden learning curve of a program. At the time, my digital photography skills were very modest. I knew I had to become proficient in this monumental program to differentiate myself. It was at that time I discovered that Santa Fe Workshops were offering their prototype Photoshop workshop on campus. I signed up for a weeklong immersive event and have never looked back. That most incredibly creative experience was my artistic epiphany.

You experiment with a wide range of photographic techniques, from nature compositing to encaustic prints. What excites you most about exploring both traditional and digital photography techniques?

I always look for artistic and technical challenges in my work - I was becoming a master of many traditional techniques, like hand-coloring photographs or working with encaustics, but I was still searching for that one process that could lite up my creative mind. Combining the old and new processes was a fun challenge but there was something missing. Then, during Covid, when the world shut down, I started creating my photographic composites and people literally began writing me uplifting messages about my work. It was then that I realized that they were connecting on an emotional level with my images – something I had never experienced before.

Can you walk us through your creative process? How do you approach brainstorming and conceptualizing ideas?

I have always been a creative person – never one to be at a loss for inspiration. But, if I am struggling with ideas, then I usually clear my head with a walk through our nearby woods for inspiration. I think it is important for artists to give themselves permission to just “doodle” at times. So when I am uninspired, I take my iPad and open up a program called Procreate and start doodling with lines, shapes and colors. Pretty soon the creative images start to reveal themselves. I take these ideas into Photoshop and that’s where the magic happens. Along with that, I research the early 17th and 18th Dutch Floral painters and study how they create depth in their paintings by putting together different flowers, shapes and colors; I visit garden centers for visual clues on color schemes; and the art museum never fails to inspire. I like to think outside of the box – with no rules in mind.

You often incorporate flowers into your work – what do they represent in your art?

As a member of The Garden Club of America since 1996, flowers have always held a special place in my heart. They are wonderful iPhone photography subjects because they’re simple to shoot and always look beautiful when you photograph them. All my photographic work represents some aspect of the beauty in Nature. Flowers have inspired artists throughout history with their unique color schemes, endless shapes and sizes and even their symbolism.In an attempt to interpret the natural world in different ways, I try to see things in ways not ordinarily perceived. With the moment of recognition, the literal subject matter takes a secondary role, allowing our associations to come to the forefront, letting the images symbolize something else.

Can you tell us about the workshops you offer? What impact do you think teaching has on your practice?

I teach Composite Photography Workshops and iPhone Photography workshops to various groups all over the country. While visiting different cities, my camera and iPhone are always constant companions, as I add images to my already bulging library on each trip. Using these images becomes the basis of my composites. The notion of composite photography is essentially a visual magic trick – a sleight of Photoshop hand that creates the illusion of a new reality. And much like a magic trick, the technique must be flawless or the illusion is lost. In class, I demonstrate how I come up with my floral creations using visualization and a little bit of storytelling, along with exploring PS’s layers, blending modes and masking techniques. While explaining and guiding others through their creative processes, I often discover new avenues opening up in my art practice, piecing together ideas that sometimes get lost in my day-to-day composite imaging. Ultimately, these new approaches give me the courage to approach new ways to problem solve.

Are there any exciting projects or techniques you’re experimenting with right now that you can share with us?

Presently, I am dipping my toe into the very controversial AI-generated art. I am always striving to push the boundaries of art and to explore new avenues for creative expression. I now have that opportunity to tap into a realm of possibilities that were once beyond my reach. Balancing the allure of new technology with flawless composite techniques becomes my latest challenge. I am creating a series of portraits of strong Greek women (like Medusa) using AI. I imagine the faces in AI, and layer photographic images within the rest of the creation in Photoshop – aligning the two visions into one perfectly crafted image.

What else fills your time when you’re not creating art?

I am on the board of The Artists Archives of the Western Reserve – a unique archival facility created to preserve representative bodies of work by Ohio visual artists. I also love walking in the woods with my husband and dogs, teaching, reading and more reading, and traveling the world.

Finally, what’s one piece of advice you would give to budding photographers who are just beginning to explore the world of composite photography?

One of my favorite quotes by Katherine Hepburn guides me along when creating: “If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun.” Try asking yourself, “What if…?” Master your equipment, explore new technologies and experiment, experiment, experiment. And find some guiding light to reach new levels of creativity. Inspiration happens in the undiscovered.

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