An Inspired Chat with Courtney Ryan of Decatur

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Courtney Ryan. Check out our conversation below.

Courtney, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Lately, my garden has been my greatest source of joy. My front and backyard are full of life year-round. Right now, I still have zinnias blooming, even though they’re at the end of their season, and I’ve just started planting bulbs so they can rest in the soil through winter and surprise me in spring since I’ll forget what I planted. Honestly, I’ll choose a perennial over a new shirt or eating out any day since it just feels better to invest in something that will keep growing and add character to my little patch of earth.

Some of my favorites are the baby dogwoods I planted as tiny saplings when we first moved into our home. Watching them grow a little more each year has become a kind of marker of time. And then there’s my greenhouse—built mostly by my very talented husband, but shaped by my vision. I sourced all the old windows and doors from Marketplace, and together we turned them into a structure that may still need a coat of paint, but already has four walls, a roof, a door, and long benches where I’m currently keeping shade plants safe, drying seed heads, and growing unique varieties of black-eyed susans and echinacea from seed for next year.

Speaking of building, we’re also in the middle of building a DIY backyard art studio, soon to be home to my ceramic practice and a small wood shop, with room for a few more plants of course since windows were a must in the design. For me, the garden, the greenhouse, and now the studio are all connected: spaces of making, care, and imagination. My ceramic work is grounded in observing the quiet systems of growth and transformation in plants…seeds, pods, vessels of potential…it’s all the same for me. Being outside, tending to things, noticing forms and cycles, inspires me just as much as research or sketching. If I hit a roadblock in the studio, I go outside, and more often than not I come back with clarity about color, texture, or form. The garden is not just restorative—it’s a creative source that continually feeds my work.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a professor at SCAD University in midtown Atlanta, where I’ve been teaching in Foundation Studies for six years now, and I’m also deeply rooted in the ceramic community at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center. Beyond the classroom, I’m a sculptural ceramicist who creates installation works for galleries, universities, and commercial spaces when the opportunity presents itself. My practice is grounded in observing nature…seeds, pods, and undefined “vessels” of potential as I like to call them…and translating those quiet systems of growth and transformation into large-scale ceramic environments via installation or grouping of multiple forms.

I like to think of myself as a professional artist first, though teaching is such a joy that sometimes it feels like the two roles overlap completely. The creativity of my students inspires me daily, and that same spirit of curiosity fuels my studio practice and drives me to attend artist residencies regularly, ultimately exhibiting work from those experiences whenever possible. Over the years, I’ve built a very large body of work—hundreds of pieces, in fact—and right now I’m especially excited about a new collection of chromatic ceramics that stack together in totem-like installations I’m developing. They’re playful, colorful, and expansive, inspired in part by the glass gardens of Dale Chihuly I recently visited in Seattle.

What makes my work distinctive is the way it balances academic research and intuitive making, craft and sculpture, stillness and movement. Many of my pieces have been shown in academic exhibitions and conferences, but I’m eager to connect more with local galleries, curators, and collectors here in Atlanta. I have a lot of work ready to exhibit, and I’m excited to find new spaces and communities where it can take root and grow.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, and honestly even well into early adulthood while still in school, I often believed I wasn’t going to make it as an artist. Imposter syndrome followed me everywhere, and there were times I jumped ship from the arts entirely, convinced I didn’t belong. Many of us did—it felt like my whole cohort at one point or another took the safe job and let art play second fiddle. But every time, I found myself pulled back in. Over time I’ve realized that making isn’t something I can step away from for long—it’s simply part of who I am. Now I believe that being an artist isn’t about an external stamp of approval; it’s about showing up, doing the work, and letting the practice carry you forward.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
I’ve never really thought of my path as suffering so much as struggle or difficulty— moments where things didn’t come easily but pushed me to adapt. I tend to look for the silver lining: when something isn’t working, I research, problem-solve, and figure out how to make it better. Success feels great, but struggle teaches resilience, persistence, and creativity in a way success never could. Climbing the ladder and knowing what it took to get there is always more inspiring than walking the easy path. In school, work, relationships, life, friendships— it’s all the same. Even the prettiest flowers still have to push their way through the dirt to grow, which is just my outlook on life.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
This might sound funny, but the project I’m most committed to is getting my website shop fully up and running— and keeping it up to date! I’m terrible about restocking when something sells and even worse about photographing new work on time. I have pieces that came out of the kiln months ago that still haven’t made it in front of the camera. It’s not for lack of effort; it’s just that life always seems to get in the way of the lightbox setup, editing, and all the admin tasks that eat up so much time. If I could hire out that side of being an artist, I would— and honestly, I think most artists would agree with me.

That said, I am committed to it. I chip away at it regularly, even if it never feels finished or perfect. For me, having a shop or social media platform that reflects the work I’m making matters, and no matter how long it takes, I’ll keep at it.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. If immortality were real, what would you build?
Easy— if immortality were real, I would build an artist residency. Not just any residency, but a full-service creative hub with private studios drenched in natural light, access to every kind of facility— ceramics, print, sculpture, painting, photo, fibers, you name it— and resources like large-format color printers and a fully stocked supply studio with discounted materials for residents and the public.

There would be private suites for living, a kitchen with a chef and staff, scholarships and fellowships for artists of merit or need, and visiting professionals and curators who could connect residents with new opportunities. The program would include gallery exhibitions, open studio nights, community events, and alumni visits with full stipends to return and share their growth.

It’s essentially what I dream of creating in my post-teaching years: a space where artists can focus, thrive, and build connections. And maybe, in immortality, I could be its lifetime resident artist.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.courtneynryan.com
• Instagram: @courtneynryan
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneynryan/
• Other: https://www.scad.edu/academics/faculty/courtney-ryan