In early childhood, Lindsay Ryden found unorthodox canvases to make her mark and explored 
multiple outlets of creativity. She experimented with music, dance, and theater — all efforts to surround herself in an artistic space. Her passion for art and pursuit of creative energy led her on the path to SCAD University and, in 2008, she graduated with a BFA in painting.
A freelance artist who’s called Georgia home her entire life, Lindsay uses a variety of mediums in her practice. Her portfolio ranges from oil and watercolor paintings to detailed illustrations on paper. Her subjects are equally as diverse as her choice in medium, including her series of celebrity portraits with a surprising twist. Her “Everyday Snark” drawings are sure to make you laugh as she cleverly illustrates snippets of daily life.
Lindsay talked to CommonCreativ about her inspiration, working across multiple mediums, the challenges she faces as a creative freelancer, and her affection for the undead.
CommonCreativ: How has your background influenced you artistically?
Lindsay Ryden: One of my earliest childhood memories is of a drawing I made on the living room wall of my family’s home. The image was of a carefully drawn house, barely discernible to a parental passerby. Its chimney with the telltale squiggle of smoke, symmetrical window panes, and a tree were drawn a foot above the baseboards where our dark green carpet met the wall. Unobtrusive and shy, this tiny drawing lacked the typical crayon-waxed markings one equates with the scribbles of a toddler.
From that young age, my passion for art was ignited. Qualities I strive for to this day as a painter and an illustrator are those which I displayed as a child on the living room wall. Quietly inconspicuous, lovingly detailed, and excruciatingly precise.
CC: From where do you draw your inspiration?
LR: That’s a tough question. I think the word ‘inspiration’ gets a bad rap. I also think that we, as artists, have abused it to the point that we don’t even realize we’re doing it. Inspiration, in this instance, is a divine right, bathed in a single beam of white light. It strikes us. Not the other way [around]. In actuality, inspiration is the work. We romanticize the notion of inspiration until we’ve stopped looking for it altogether.
I spend time with my work. It is a committed relationship that spans all mediums and subject matter. As an artist, it can even mean taking on part-time jobs in retail or in restaurants to make ends meet. I breathe deep and feel what it means to be connected to what breaks and mends my heart. For me, that is the way to inspiration.
CC: You frequently post art on social media with lengthy captions and short stories. Why is writing important to you?
LR: I find comfort in writing because words speak for me when I’m unable to speak for myself. They find structure, placement, and order within the chaos of my anxious brain. Artists are able to tap into another level of consciousness, in that we are able to manifest a tangible representation of the intangible. The words behind the art are everything. Where putting a voice and putting words to your creation comes into play.
Lindsay Ryden
CC: How has your practice changed over time?
LR: Practice makes perfect is merde. Pardon my French. Practice makes process makes imperfection makes art. That’s never changed, and I doubt it ever will. My practice, if I had to define it, would be pursuit in perpetuity. It’s the only way we learn from ourselves, after art school dumps us out into the real world, gasping, and flailing like a newborn. Many of us find ourselves ill-equipped to turn our degree into a career, lacking business savvy, and sort of just figuring it out. After all that, we find the thing pushing us to our next personal best. Only you can make you better.
CC: What attracts you to the zombie theme in your work?
LR: It was in 2012 when Michael Phelps was dominating the Summer Olympics. I remember sitting down on my bed, deciding to draw his portrait. Honestly, I’m not sure what instigated the first spark of, “Oh, Michael Phelps would make a killer zombie.” Apart from the fairly recent The Walking Dead craze and my natural inclination toward the macabre, in general. And I was right. He made a brilliant zombie. I was hooked after that, zombifying random, culturally relevant famous people from Barack Obama to Miley Cyrus. Exploring the cult of celebrity became a kind of catharsis. I mean, have you ever tried drawing sloughed-off skin and eyeball-less sockets? It’s a real treat for the senses. I actually get downright giddy thinking about which future likeness would look even better undead.
CC: Of the many celebrity portraits you have drawn, who would you be most eager to meet in real life?
LR: I would have to say Jeff Goldblum. Followed by Bill Murray. Earlier this month, Jeff Goldblum (yes…the real deal verified profile Jeff Goldblum) ‘liked’ a portrait I posted of him on Instagram, and I’m certain the glow of that moment will carry me through any freelance woe yet to come. Okay, or maybe just for the rest of my life. If I met Bill Murray, well, I’d probably hand him a portrait and promptly drop down dead.
CC: As a freelance artist, what do you find most challenging?
LR: I am admittedly, a terrible self-promoter, and generally find marketing myself quite a challenge. There is truly nothing more necessary while simultaneously loathsome than the art of networking when it comes to freelance. I like to think I’ve coined the term Freelance Unicorn in the hope that its illustrious imagery conjures up the feeling of desperation and ridiculousness that a freelancer must embrace. If you can’t laugh about the overall awkwardness of it all, then you may as well put a glittery unicorn horn on it and call it a career.
CC: How has Atlanta’s art scene impacted you?
LR: My favorite thing about living here is the abundance of street art. The murals and illustrations bring life and energy to each unique neighborhood. There’s a visual flavor to every area of town that cheers the soul.
Artists I admire are Fabian Williams, Occasional Superstar for displaying the power of social justice and historical significance. There are many organizations and nonprofits that do incredible work. Paint Love, for example, has a mission of healing work with great kids in not-so-great life circumstances. There are a host of other brilliant stars (and rising stars) within Atlanta’s creative community, making an indelible impact on this ever-expanding cultural mecca of The South.
I’m still finding my place in it all and sometimes I’m overwhelmed by the immense pool of brilliant artists around me. There can be times that I feel myself getting swallowed up. Then I remember the zombies, the snarky greeting cards, and the Bill Murray interactive online drag and drop game I’ve created. I smile and then I get back to work.
CC: What are some upcoming projects you’re working on?
LR: I have a couple of personal projects in the works, one portrait-based and one watercolor- based. If you follow me on Instagram, I’m sure you’ll be gratuitously informed regarding the progress of both.
See more of Lindsay’s work on her portfolio site and Instagram.
