Ryan Barr

Hi! I’m Ryan! I’m a cartoonist and illustrator born and raised in New Jersey! I’ve been drawing ever since I could pick up a pencil, but unlike most kids I never put the pencil down. I drew all throughout high school and eventually college (University of the Arts in PA) where I graduated with a BFA in illustration (‘14).

Art has benefited my life in more ways than I could count. It has always been the constant that moves me forward in this world, and I hope to create an art career built on passion and collaboration. I grew up loving comic books and children’s books. Both art forms for me are the foundational pillars of who I am as a creative person. I love the storytelling mechanics of a comic book and the execution of a children’s book. Bridging the gap of both those fields, finding that middle ground of execution, is my creative intent and focus. I want to bring that work to an audience of all ages, because I think there is real value in creating work that can appeal to anyone.

When I’m not chained to my desk working on artwork, I have a day job at the Alex’s Place Teen Center at the YMCA located on Martha’s Vineyard. There, I teacher weekend Cartooning Workshops, set up teen and community based programming, and defeat teenagers at billiards on a daily basis. (They’ll say otherwise but trust me, I’m good at the game!) Once a year, I facilitate Martha’s Vineyard’s Free Comic Book Day event, in which I bring my long boxes of comics to a comic-less community that otherwise wouldn’t have an event like that! (There are no comic book shops on MV, sadly!) I’ve been part of Alex’s Place since late 2015 and it’s been an honor and a privilege mentoring teens through creating artwork and relating to real life experiences.

My various hobbies include collecting anything Darwyn Cooke, Alex Toth, or Jack Kirby have ever drawn, playing retro video games, and watching movies and cartoons. I’m always trying to learn through other artists how to both improve my own craft and find a the sweet spot of a work to life balance. I’m hoping to eventually get the ladder half of that down right!

I hope to be given the chance to work with and collaborate with folks who think my work would be suited for their projects!

Thank you so much for taking the time to look at my artwork! The support and consideration is greatly appreciated!

Skills

Software: Adobe Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint, Procreate