Earlier this month, I once again had the good fortune to attend the annual Architectural Digest Design Show. I saw many wonderful things at the show, and I’ll be writing about them over the next little while. But when I came across the gorgeous, evocative paintings by Nicole Renee Ryan, I knew my first post from the show had to be about her work. The artist spotted me staring, open-mouthed, at her glorious work. My first words to her were, “I can feel my stress leaving me.” It was love at first sight!

“I paint journeys through imagined spaces and misremembered places. These landscapes are based on my memories of memories. These landscapes include things remembered and things forgotten represented by half realistic and half abstract shapes, things real and unreal. Parts of the landscapes shift and become their own active subject, playing, moving, and breaking away.”

Ryan’s beautiful use of soft focus and colors with contrasting drips and rough geometrics all combine to to create a profound sense of peace and calm. I wouldn’t have thought it possible, but the vague landscapes honestly do feel like half-remembered childhood vistas and once-loved places.

You can see and purchase all of Ryan’s glorious work on her website.

All images property of Nicole Renee Ryan, used with permission.