I am fascinated by what can be found, both beautiful and uncanny, in the woods. The woods, as depicted in fairytales and folklore, is a place of horror, mystery and the revealing of the subconscious.

The environments and symbols I am creating within my drawings stem from a desire to rewrite and re-narrate many of the folktales I am currently reading to my daughter. As a very important genre for the socialization of children, I am interested in the language, both written and visual, used within these traditional narratives.

For the past two years I have been working with pastel and ink on paper. I am interested in these materials for their uncontrollable properties. Soft pastels, the kind I work with, are curmbly and messy while the ink tends to pool and darken much too quickly. The lack of precision and the struggle for perfection are both a challenge and a gift.

Ajean Lee Ryan