Frances Ryan

I am dual heritage Afro Caribbean-White British. I had a happy childhood growing up in Jamaica, and this is where my love of strong colours comes from. I’m a figurative and landscape artist painting in oils, often quite big paintings. My figurative work is narrative, ambiguous and expressive. Some of my influences are Gauguin, Diego de Rivera, Paula Reigo, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye. I admire the solidity of their figures and this is what I strive to create in my work. I started to paint seriously during the first lockdown after I suffered a bereavement. It provided a focus for me and helped me, albeit subconsciously, to work through some difficult feelings and emotions.
I have more recently started to do en plein air landscapes, which is equally challenging as figurative work but in a different way.
I’m a member of Artspace Loughborough and Nottingham Society of Arts, and have recently exhibited with both organisations.