Early Life and Education
- Born: Hoboken, New Jersey, 1889
- Parents: Both parents died when Ryan was a teenager.
- Education: Attended the Academy of St Elizabeth Convent for high school and early college. Left before graduating to marry William McFadden.
- Marriage and Family: Married attorney William McFadden in 1911; they separated in 1923. Had three children, Elizabeth, William Jr., and Thomas.
- Early Literary Pursuits: Frequented art and literary circles in New York's Greenwich Village neighborhood. Published a novel, *Raquel*, as well as a volume of poetry, *Lost Hills*.
Artistic Development and Influences
- European Sojourn: Lived in Majorca and Paris (1931-1932).
- Beginnings in Painting: Began painting in 1938, had her first solo exhibition in 1941 at the Pinacoteca.
- Atelier 17: Joined Stanley William Hayter's Atelier 17 (1941), a printmaking workshop, and created prints.
- Key Turning Point – Kurt Schwitters: In 1948, saw the collages of Kurt Schwitters at the Rose Fried Gallery in New York City. This profoundly influenced her artistic direction. She recognized a visual equivalence to her poetry in Schwitters' work.
- Focus on Collage: Dedicated herself primarily to collage from 1948 until her death, producing over 400 pieces.
- Materials Used: Incorporated diverse materials into her collages including silk, netting, handmade rag paper, and Japanese rice paper. Many works were mounted on handmade paper by Douglas Morse Howell.
Artistic Style and Techniques
- Collage as Primary Voice: Found collage to be her primary artistic medium.
- Small-Scale Works: Most of her collages were small, averaging roughly eight by six inches.
- Juxtaposition of Textures: Juxtaposed small squares of different materials to highlight their distinct textures and densities.
- Color Palette: Employed pastel colors in her compositions.
- Relationship with Writing: Maintained a permeable relationship between artmaking and writing, though she favored the latter for most of her life. Wrote "Lines to a Young Painter."
Recognition and Legacy
- Exhibitions: Had three exhibitions at the Betty Parsons Gallery in the 1950s, solidifying her reputation.
- Critical Reception: Early critical responses noted the "feminine" qualities of her work.
- Posthumous Recognition: An exhibition of her collages was shown at the Brooklyn Museum and traveled to several other institutions including the National Collection of Fine Arts in Washington, D.C.
- Association with Abstract Expressionism: Belonged to the early generation of New York School abstract expressionist artists.
- Daughter's Artistic Career: Her daughter, Elizabeth McFadden, is also an artist.
