Eric Ryser

Bio

Eric A. Ryser is a studio metalsmith living and working in Manhattan, Kansas. In 2003, he completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Metalsmithing and Jewelry from Kansas State University and went on to obtain a Master of Fine Arts in Metalsmithing at Cranbrook Academy of Art in 2005.

Ryser was instructed as a traditional metalsmith in non-ferrous and ferrous metalsmithing techniques and methodologies. Since 2003, his studio and commission work have been strictly focused on steel forging and fabrication. One specific process is the use of nitric acid to etch detailed patterns and designs in plate steel. Previous experience with Intaglio Printmaking has resurfaced in his artwork, allowing him to explore the realm of two-dimensionality while continuing to be a three-dimensional artist.

While having exhibited extensively for the past twenty years, both nationally and internationally. Ryser’s work has been shown in several exhibitions throughout the United States and Europe, including the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, Kansas, Cranbrook Art Museum in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, National Ornamental Metal Museum in Memphis, Tennessee, Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, Massachusetts, and the Hereford College of Arts in Herefordshire, United Kingdom.

Artist Statement

My current body of work is a cross-pollination of etched patterns and decorative objects combined to spark a dialogue through the unification of color and material. Through the process of etching, fabrication, and forming, all crafted objects have an associated relationship between the etched pattern and the finished object. When color is introduced to a rather cold and inert material, it allows viewers to socially engage with the object to create a welcoming feeling that is generally not associated with steel.

Exhibitions