Artist Statement:
Ryan Osborne’s sculptures are made through a responsive engagement with material, seeking a heightened sense of balance and tension within each piece. He typically begins with a general direction in mind for each sculpture and often sketches out his thoughts; however, he also works quickly, making deliberate decisions informed by the movement and physical resistance of the clay. As zoomorphic or human elements are abstracted, the forms begin to suggest plants, animals, or figures. Through atmospheric firings, he develops a range of colors that feel suited to the forms.
Atmospheric firing, wood firing in particular, introduces an element of uncertainty, though certain outcomes can be encouraged through kiln placement and the use of slips, glazes, or wadding. This variability—shaped by the movement of air, fire, and ash—pairs naturally with his approach. The resulting shifts in color and surface activate the sculptural and tactile presence of the work.
Osborne’s recent Eternal Dog series began as a way of working through the grief following the death of his dog, Ella. By creating a playful likeness of her, he found some relief from the weight of her loss. Out of her absence—and now, alongside his two beagles, Molly and Simone—the work has continued to evolve into new forms.
Biography:
As a native of Kingsport, Tennessee—a relatively small town just above and to the right of the Great Smoky Mountains—Ryan Osborne grew up drawn to the natural world around him. From Tennessee’s rolling hills and mountains to its lakes and rivers, he was always out exploring in his own way. He developed a strong interest in art and music at an early age and considers himself fortunate to have attended schools and universities that nurtured his desire to make art. In high school, he took every art class available, including two ceramics courses, which became foundational to the artist he is today.
After high school, Osborne pursued studies in vocal performance and psychology before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in studio art and a minor in music from Ferrum College in 2011. In 2014, he received his Master of Fine Arts in ceramics from Kent State University, where he studied under the direction of the late Kirk Mangus and his partner, Eva Kwong. Working in the studio and firing the anagama—affectionately known as the “Kirkagama”—was a formative period in his life.
During this time, he also began working with Kent State Emeritus Sculpture faculty member Brinsley Tyrrell. In the summer of 2012, Brinsley Tyrrell and Megan Tuttle built a modified manabigama wood kiln on Brinsley’s property just outside of Kent, Ohio. Osborne joined the group in the fall of 2012 as a graduate student for his first wood firing, eventually forming close friendships with the growing crew. Over four years, the kiln was fired approximately thirty-three times before being dismantled and rebuilt. He assisted in the construction of Brinsley’s second kiln, based on the same design but longer, with an added salt and/or soda chamber. He remained a regular presence at these firings until relocating to North Carolina in 2021.
In the summer of 2021, Osborne left his position at a ceramic supply shop in Ohio to manage the ceramic supply shop at Starworks, a nonprofit arts center in Star, North Carolina. Since arriving at Starworks, he has led several firings of the Starworks noborigama and assisted in numerous wood firings throughout the Seagrove area. In the fall of 2024, he coordinated Starworks’ first annual Empty Bowls charitable fundraiser, with all proceeds benefiting CERF+ and designated for Western North Carolina artists. In 2025, he became a recipient of an artist support grant from the North Carolina Arts Council and the Arts Council of Greater Greensboro. With this funding, he created larger-than-life works from his Eternal Dog series, which were fired in the Starworks noborigama.