The 90s were a lot of fun for us. The salad days as some say. We were in college and Ryan was making paintings and waiting tables at the Main Street Bistro. Doug Thompson, the owner, offered him the opportunity to hang his work. He still remembers the first time he sold a painting there. It was for $500 and he was blown away; a sweet memory for sure.

The 90s was a prolific period for Ryan, and it marked the emergence of what would become his signature style of creating bold, large-scale pieces using Rustoleum paint on wood boards, giving his work their uncommon heft and trademark glossy finish. 

The Cronin Gallery's current show, Kickin’ it Old School, is a retrospective exhibit featuring a sampling of works created by Ryan in the 1990’s. Part homage, part love story, the idea for this show started with a chance encounter on social media. We were inspired to gather some significant work from private collections and bring it back “home” for showcasing in the recently renovated gallery space.

On Saturday, December 4th, we celebrated the opening night of Kickin’ it Old School, with many long-time fans, and collectors in attendance, including Brian Mahoney, Editor of the Chronogram, and Lee Anne Albritton. The couple loaned two of their pieces, “Telephone” and “Carp Bait” to the show and had this to share, “ "We've been collecting Ryan's work since the late '90s and his paintings are the focal point in multiple spaces in our home. We love his graphic, exuberant style that's serious and fun all at once.

The show will run through early March. We are looking forward to welcoming you into the gallery, and sharing with you this very special body of work.

Also, BIG NEWS! The CronArtUSA team used this opportunity to document the pieces for the first time. Signed, limited edition prints are now available in the gallery and online.