Nessa Ryan
Painter · Brooklyn, New York
Nessa was born in Ireland and grew up in North Carolina. She received her BA in Studio Art and Biology from Hollins University in Virginia, her MPH from Emory University in Georgia, and her PhD from New York University School of Global Public Health.
Nessa is a painter and public health scientist working in global health. She is currently living in Brooklyn, NY and studying at the Art Students League of New York.
Personal statement
Although studying studio art in college, for the last 15 years I worked in government/academia as an epidemiologist. Recent changes in the public health landscape pushed me to refresh my artistic goals: creating a representational figurative drawing and painting series embedded with social commentary. Through my current work, I am further developing my artistic voice and refining necessary technical skills in painting from life. Skills include moving towards greater realism with quality of value and form; building my confidence in decisive mark-making; further strengthening my anatomical understanding; and working towards capturing the spirit and character of individuals I aim to represent.