Ryan Schmidt
Ryan
T. Schmidt is an American Artist born and raised in Little Rock,
Arkansas sculpting in stainless steel since 2002. The
inspiration for his welded and moulded art springs from his
passion for steel in smooth arcs and curves that are in
triangular relationships inspired by St. Louis Arch, as well as,
early artistic direction from Origami and Constructs at the
early age of five. Throughout his childhood years he spent the
weekends and summers learning to work with wood, metal and
plastic in his father’s business of custom remodeling,
landscaping, and handcrafted playgrounds. Later during his
school years transitioning into college, he furthered his
studies in photography, painting, drawing, color and design,
printmaking, ceramics, and finally transitioned into sculpture.
After studying art at the University of
Arkansas in Little Rock, Schmidt began working in cast aluminum,
later in bronze, and ultimately found the everlasting properties
of stainless steel with its brilliant reflection to be most
satisfying. In 2002, he established Rykan Expedition, Inc.
combining water fountains and outdoor sculpture into the
landscaped environment. Later, he moved to Los Angeles and spent
5 years to focus more on producing sculptures while establishing
his gallery relationships. Then, returned to his Arkansas
hometown in 2015 to expand the production of sculptures. Schmidt
was a Visiting Artist at Palmer Trinity School in Miami, and has
supported UNICEF, American Heart Association, Saint Louis
Ambassadors, Wolfe Street Foundation, Dan Eldon Creative Center
in Malibu, Tabriz Arkansas Arts Center, and Splatters Centers
For Youth and Families.
In 2018, Schmidt received the Proskauer Prize
Award at the 85th Annual Awards in Brookgreen Gardens South
Carolina. He won “First Place” at the Hot Springs 4th Annual
Sculpture Showcase, Arkansas in 2009; and at the 11th Annual
Indian Wells Arts Festival, California in 2013. Many of his
sculptures are regarded more as monuments, and grace public
waterfronts. His works stand within public places, corporate
headquarters and private estates. They provide those who see
them with an enhanced sense of how constructed beauty can
interplay with the natural world, our sense of aliveness, and be
a poetic, fluid conversation with what we see as static or
constant. Notable works can be found at the Arkansas Governor’s
Mansion and Neuroscience Institute, Habitat for Humanity Grand
Rapids, BankUnited in Downtown Miami, Charles Winburn Park in
Northglenn/Denver, TICCA in World Trade Center Taipei and Amway
Botanical R & D Center in Wuxi/Shanghai, China. He is
currently affiliated with the International Sculpture Center,
National Sculpture Society, and Texas Artists Coalition.
Schmidt’s goal is to fully realize concepts
from the images in his mind, in a way that the sculpture is able
to create a mood, and then it changes in a moment with the
season and in a completely seamless and natural manner. His
mission is to share the gift of inspiration through reflection
with the passion for stainless steel and desires to build
sculpture that will last for many generations to come.
