Ryan Perkins
studied sculpture, printmaking and graphic design at the University of Utah, and now works at the University’s Genetic Science Learning Center as a designer, illustrator and animator. He enjoys making goofy comics of anthropoid animals and screenprinting ice cream cones, and is super excited for the zines to come!
- What is your artist name?
Ryan Perkins - Which city are you currently working from?
Salt Lake City, Utah - What is your education, professional experience, awards, etc.
I have a bachelor’s degree in art, and have been working as a graphic designer, animator, and illustrator for a decade at the Genetic Science Learning Center, a science website at the University of Utah. - What is your personal creative background? (When did you start, what did you do? Where did it go from there?)
I can’t recall a time I wasn’t drawing, and I just never quit! - Who are your main influences?
It’s tough to narrow down influences, but I find that I keep going back to Seymour Chwast, Henrik Dreschler, Julie Mehretu and Jillian Tamaki. - What type of artist would you call yourself primarily?
Tie between illustrator and printmaker. - What other types of art do you enjoy?
I also enjoy building furniture and playing the banjo. - When you joined Art Office, what did your creative practice look like? (What were you working on, how often, how well?)
When I joined Art Office, I had a few project ideas in the hopper, and was working on them sporadically, but not with a whole lot of direction or intention. - What are some challenges and strengths that you had at that time?
As ever, I had deadlines creep up at my job, which necessitated additional work on evenings and weekends, making it harder to spend time on projects for Art Office. - How did Art Office play a role in addressing those challenges and strengths?
Art Office provided structure and accountability for off-work hours in a way that’s impossible to get on my own. - What was one thing that stood out in your time in the program, that helped you in some way or showed you a new way of thinking about something?
Art Office helped to make clear that breaking up a project into small pieces can make it much more manageable. - What was your final project/presentation?
My final work included a small comic book I screen-printed, a screen-printed map/zine of Iowa City bike routes, and a typeface. - What tools has Art Office given you to apply to your daily practice outside the program?
I actually learned to give myself credit for making continual progress I make on projects, even if it is slow—that did and will help me stay motivated. - Name one thing you would change about Art Office?
I wish that Art Office hadn’t been an entirely virtual program, but that was the fault of the pandemic! - What are you working on now?
At the moment, I’m working on a few different little comic books, some I’ll screen-print, and others I’ll print on the Risograph, a printer my girlfriend and I recently acquired. - What are your professional/creative goals?
With each project, I want to continue to challenge myself. I’d like to be surprised at - What is your dream project?
My dream project would be to produce a long-form comic book/graphic novel. The subject—i don’t know yet! - Any plugs? Social media, events, collaborations?
My most recent collaboration was with my friend, Kagan Breitenbach, who’s a composer and singer. He produced an album called Bloody Cabaret with a string quartet and a rock duo, and I created the album artwork (attached) and titles for the album’s film. You can see/hear it all here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1XB0NwYdug - Where can people find you online?
People can find me on Instagram at @bigfunslc, and on my website at www.ryanperkins.net - Where might people find you on a Sunday afternoon?
On a Sunday afternoon, you can usually find me either working on some art at home, or just lazing about, if the Sunday scaries have gotten me too bad.
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