A Solo Exhibition by Ryan Smoluk presented by Arts AccessAbility Network Manitoba

Arts AccessAbility Network Manitoba is proud to present a solo exhibition by Ryan Smoluk. This exhibition consists of one large painting by Ryan Smoluk which has been divided into 15 close-up images of all the animals in their costumes. 

Artists Statement

The things people will do for entertainment-this work makes us all chuckle. We love our pets; this is a comical collage of pets looking less than enthusiastic. The inspiration came from YouTube and internet photos of owners dressing up their pets. It’s okay to laugh but are we laughing at the pets, or the owners? This lighthearted painting is meant to lift the viewer’s spirits and hopefully make everyone who sees it smile and laugh. Laughter and lightness are something that we can all use during these trying times of the Covd-19 pandemic. 

This painting was exhibited in Ryan Smoluk’s solo show Culture Shock at the Actual Gallery in Winnipeg.  It was also included in an artist talk by Ryan Smoluk at the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG) during the “Out of Mind inro Creativity; Mental Health and Art Symposium” in partnership with Artbeat Studio and in conjunction with William Kurelek’s exhibition The Maze at the WAG in November 2011.

Artist Bio

Award-Winning Canadian Artist Ryan Smoluk is a powerful self-advocate and a seasoned spokesman for Autism Awareness. His art has been showcased internationally. 

In 2012, The United Nations selected an original painting of Ryan’s named “The Path” which was reproduced on a postage stamp and is available world-wide. Ryan has been an honoured guest of the United Nationals Assembly in New York and in attendance was the United Nations Secretary General, H.E. Ban Ki-moon. 

Ryan accepted the invitation to celebrate at World Autism Day by Autism Speaks at the opening of the New York Exchange Ringing of the Bell Ceremony. He was commended by the clothing mogul, Tommy Hilfiger. 

Ryan’s art has been featured on several television interviews, magazine articles and books including two beautiful art books titled, “Artism, The Art of Autism” and “The Heart of Autism” by Debbie Hosseini. 

In 2017 Ryan was deeply honored to receive a Canada Art Award from the Canada Council for the Arts.

Ryan has accomplished his Fine Arts Degree at the University of Manitoba and has been awarded  many grants with the Manitoba Art Council, the Winnipeg Art Council, and the Canada Council for the Arts.

Ryan is an active supporter of the Artbeat Studio, teaching art workshops and mentoring other struggling artists. His teachings also include art workshops in diverse classrooms working with children ages 8-10 years old. Currently he is teaching recovery through art workshops for mental health.