Katie Maher Ryan
The One and Only
Statements
Teacher, Artist, Art Teacher — each connects and shapes the other.
Teachers Statement
As a teacher, I aim to create an inclusive and open-minded classroom where every student feels respected, supported, and encouraged to grow. No two students are the same, and I believe teaching should reflect that. I want to push each student towards their highest potential in a way that supports who they are as individuals.
I want my classroom to be a space that values both skill and imagination. Alongside developing strong technical abilities, I encourage students to think conceptually, ask questions, and explore ideas in depth. I incorporate real-world themes into the classroom, encouraging students to make connections between their work, themselves, and the world around them.
For me, teaching is about nurturing creativity, confidence, and critical thinking — helping students not only strengthen their practical skills, but also develop their own voice and opinions.
Artists Statement
I am an interdisciplinary artist whose work is driven by curiosity, reflection, and experimentation. My practice often begins with a feeling or question — recently connected to memory, identity, or place, which develops through working across different materials and processes.
I’m interested in how meaning changes over time: how objects can hold emotional weight, how traces of the past remain, and how our experiences shape the spaces around us. Through making, I explore themes of movement, roots, and belonging, thinking about what we carry with us and what we leave behind.
My work balances research with instinct, allowing ideas to unfold naturally through the process of making.