Expressionist art has captured art lovers’ hearts and minds everywhere for its power to invoke human emotion and connect at a personal level. While the art form is powerful, it is not for all artists, as only a handful have grown and thrived in the category. One such unique artist is Ric Conn, an award-winning painter represented by the Grimandi Art Gallery.
The New York-based artist has grown a strong following through his masterful representation of expressionist art and being a voice of truth on important issues like women’s abuse and human rights. The artist draws inspiration from notable painters and creative minds, including Toulouse-Lautrec, Edvard Munch, Picasso, Matisse, and the German Expressionists.
Ric’s work goes beneath the surface and above the obvious, diving into the human psyche’s depth and stellar realities. “My work is concerned not with objective reality but rather the emotions that objects and events arouse within a person, reactions—positive or negative—especially the understanding of the self within the viewer,” shares Ric Conn. “Distortion, exaggeration, and fantasy are the filters through which I paint the modern world.”
One of Ric’s most profound inspirations is the symbolic depiction of the female experience. The artist believes that today’s Western culture has severely perverted women’s identities. Through his art, he seeks to expose women’s faulty notions and inspire society to seek women empowerment and equality.
Ric Conn regularly seeks to surpass the conventional and academic. He goes past today’s growing trend of new modernism to create a new avant-garde—a category and genre of his own. He uses various media—including oil, acrylics, gouache, charcoal, and ink—to create multiple textures and compositions to depict the female body. Through his work, Ric seeks to challenge the status quo and address various social issues. Apart from women empowerment, he also advocates for other worthy causes, including equality and mental health awareness.
An award-winning creative, Ric has received various honors, including the distinction of being part of the “Top 60 Masters of Contemporary Art for 2020,” “Artist of the Decade 2010-2020,” and “Artivist of the year 2019 and 2020” circles by Art Tour International Magazine. Ric has also appeared on the summer, autumn, and winter issues of Art Tour and in notable art magazine American Art Collector. Ric also received the honor of becoming the Face of Queen Anne’s County medal recipient for one of his oil paintings. Ric Conn holds many other awards and recognitions for various ceremonies and contests.
Furthermore, Ric and his work have reached far into various parts of the United States and the world, participating in exhibits and shows in places like Baltimore, Columbia, Annapolis, Frederick, Stevensville, and Centreville, Manhattan, and Chelsea, New York City. In his spare time, he teaches painting and drawing workshops in local schools, art councils, and centers to prepare the next generation of artists to take the industry by storm. He also provides private lessons in his studio.
Ric’s art speaks boldly to society about the current issues that the world faces and brings greater awareness to the urgency of matters close to his heart. Ric Conn hopes to become a voice for women and other oppressed people groups everywhere through his art. Learn more about the artist on his website and Instagram account.
