Born four doors down from JonBenet Ramsey in Boulder, Colorado, Gretchen Ryan creates portraits of young girls--often beauty pageant contestants--that disquietingly explore notions of objectification, precocious sexuality, and innocence. Working from a wheelchair as a result of a car accident, Ryan makes charcoal and oil-on-canvas work that are collected by West Coast celebrities like Demi Moore and Tobey McGuire. Originally trained as an illustrator, a background evidenced in the crisp lines of her work, she lives in North Hollywood with her husband. … (read more)

Born four doors down from JonBenet Ramsey in Boulder, Colorado, Gretchen Ryan creates portraits of young girls--often beauty pageant contestants--that disquietingly explore notions of objectification, precocious sexuality, and innocence. Working from a wheelchair as a result of a car accident, Ryan makes charcoal and oil-on-canvas work that are collected by West Coast celebrities like Demi Moore and Tobey McGuire. Originally trained as an illustrator, a background evidenced in the crisp lines of her work, she lives in North Hollywood with her husband.

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