Ryan Oakley

She is a multimedia artist creating anything from digital works of art to traditional drawings and oil paintings. She is inspired by comic book art and the the exciting images of urban life which is often reflected in her work. As a young child she always could sense a discrepancy between how she saw herself and the images that were filtered through everyday media outlets like magazines and television shows. It was as though “ I was limited to these images; images that did not represent me in anyway.” The notion of beauty and what it seen as valuable is formed through a narrow scope leaving those who are not represented feeling inadequate. To do this day I wrestle with these ideas exploring themes such as femininity, identity and inadequacy. Currently, Ryan is completing a Pre-Medicine post baccalaureate program at Washington University at St. Louis and hopes to pursue a career in medicine.