ABOUT

Debbie Ryan is a North West based creative who originally studied fine art at Liverpool John Moores University. In 2020 Debbie also completed her post-graduate masters in art, festivals and cultural management at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh. Debbie is based in her hometown of Liverpool, Merseyside. 

Debbie creates artwork for public and private settings and the materials used aim to reflect the vibrancy of nature and multiplicty of the natural world. Often through the use of bold colour palettes and uniquely detailed mosaic forms.  Debbie uses a variety of different mediums, such as mosaic, glass, clay, smalti, ceramics or stone. When possible, sourcing materials locally and making work that is mindful of issues connected to sustainability. Debbie believes that working in this way is important for the benefit of future generations and our planet, which we all share. Therefore, often in her creative approaches or artistic processes, there is an integration of  donated items, elements of recycling, up-cycling or even repurposing within her creative practice or projects. Consequently, as a result of this endevour and way of working, many hundreds of items are saved from a destiny of going to landfill each year. 

Debbie has won awards for her mosaics, such as at an international mosaic exhibition in Exeter at the Opus Mosaic Gallery. Her award winning mosaic 'Gaia' was voted as 'Best Mosaic (People’s Choice)' by the exhibition visitors. This piece addressed the exhibition brief of responding to themes of plant biodiversity and eroded natural habitats or extinct flora species.

Debbie has worked on a range of projects, her most recent project was a sculpture called ‘Clyde’ which was created for as a temporary art installation in Hamilton, Scotland. This was part of a large-scale public art sculpture event called 'Go Stampede'. The public art sculpture ‘Clyde’ raised over £6,600 for Glasgow Children’s Hospital when sold during a charity auction event. 

Another sculpture created by Debbie was ‘Discovery’ which was commissioned for the Oor Wullie public art trail in Dundee, Scotland during 2016. The sculpture raised over £11,000 for a charity called the Archie Foundation, when it featured in a charity sculpture auction. 

Other recent projects include a public sculpture trail created and designed in collaboration with the town of Inverbervie, on the east coast of Scotland. One of the pieces that Debbie made for the trail was a feature for a community garden called 'The voyage of life', this garden was made by local volunteers from the voluntary group Brighter Bervie. The garden was featured on the BBC 2 programme Beechgrove Garden.  

Other projects that Debbie has undertook include sculptures displayed at the World Expo in Shanghai, China. A large mosaic mural project, 8 metre by 4 metre in size, and collaborative artworks made with rural communities in Muriwai, New Zealand.

In addition to China, Debbie has also exhibited internationally in Auckland, New Zealand aswell as in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee in Scotland. In various craft centres in Wales and in York, Manchester, Exeter and in her hometown of Liverpool. Here, Debbie developed her experience of co-ordinating group studio exhibitions and cultural events. As well as featuring as an exhibiting artist herself, at several of the city's international art event; the Liverpool Biennial.

Debbie has led art projects and made work for a variety of private collectors. Some of Debbie’s clients include: the NHS, National Museums Liverpool, Knowsley Council, Wigan Council, Brighter Bervie, Wild in Art, Marie Curie, Museum of Science and Industry, Liverpool Vision and Earthskin Muriwai in New Zealand.

Debbie welcomes commissions or project enquiries, and is a professional member of BAMM (British Association for Modern Mosaics).