About: Rita S. Ryan

Follow Artist Rita Ryan's Progress in Clay & Life here click the link below to be re-directed to Rita's Pottery

17.8.06

Letting Go

Last night as I quietly lie down for bed a very large lump entered my throat, I could feel my body convulse as I mouthed the words, "Our little Pippi is really gone off and on her own". Much is changing fast and on the surface it doesn't seem like such a big deal that your only daughter is living at the local campus in a dorm room. I keep thinking as parents we are getting off easy having our child basically 5 min from where we work, It's a bit hard to explain how I am feeling, and as I slow down my emotional reaction to the sadness it becomes easier to feel the pain of letting go of 18 years. I am ok with the realization that she is no longer in our charge. I have for a long time understood my job was second to God's. The humanness of the grief my body feels causes me to pause momentarily.

7.8.06

“I’ve taken up a new “Healthy hobby” “Ballooning”, and went for my second time crewing on Sunday this time with a pilot from Colorado Springs. I hadn’t planned on going up especially with all the rain we have been having, but at the last min. the young (Chinese) lady that was to fly got spooked and so I took her place. We flew for about 40 min. west of the field in Rio Rancho, it was sooooo much fun. We flew quite low to the ground to avoid the scattered clouds that were chasing us. Watching the Jackrabbits run wild through the bracken was quite thrilling. Even though I had been up before as recently as June when I crewed for another balloonist from Pagosa Springs, add the element of danger and the flight takes on a whole new life. We had to deal with some sudden wind and find just the right landing spot so when we were dragged by the wind it would not be into the trees. After we landed on our side (up-side down is what the pilot called it) the envelope deflated and we crawled out just as the crew was driving up. The pilot did a remarkable job of detailing to me just how to position my body for the least amount of impact and how to keep from straining or breaking any bones. We all agreed that probably was not the best flight for someone’s first time and so it was a good thing I went instead. All I have is a tiny scratch on one knee and enough excitement to last a good long while!”

2.8.06

Artist Rita Ryan's One-Woman Business Won't Compromise on Quality

-->By Amanda Stevens Of the Journal

The dancing woman in the home studio that has Billy Idol's "White Wedding" blasting from the stereo is Rita Ryan, doing what she loves: working. "It makes you feel like a kid. I get to play," Ryan, a clay artist said. "I get to make money, and I get to play." Ryan owns, operates and creates the merchandise for her out-of-home business, Rita's Pottery Garden, based in Rio Rancho. Wanting to keep her business small, Ryan has no intention of expanding beyond her capabilities. "I don't intend on employing anyone else. I like the solitude. I get along with myself good ... I don't want someone ruining my chi here. It's a very happy, relaxing place," she said. Creating everything from soap holders to large platters, Ryan prides herself on creating only unique, functional pottery. "I have an idea of what I want to make, and that's pretty little functional pots. If you want a toothbrush holder, go to Wal-Mart." Ryan said she has refused several requests for items such as toothbrush holders and butter keepers, but tries to keep an open mind for ideas. "I'm not opposed to ideas ... I made (butter keepers) for a while, but I hate making them because I haven't found a way to make them unique. If I'm going to make it, I want them to be really special," she said. These "pretty little functional pots" can be found at the Los Ranchos Growers' Market on Saturday mornings during the growing season. www.ritaspots.blogspot.com. Ryan started her pottery business in 1991 after she witnessed two women arguing over a piece of her work at the Los Ranchos Growers' Market. "Ladies at the farmers market started fighting over a pot and I thought, 'I have something really good here.' " From that point on, Ryan said she can barely keep up with the ideas she has and the requests she gets for more of her creations. "I just can't make enough stuff," she said. "People are looking for more and more and I can only do so much ... There just isn't enough time to make everything I want to make." Even though Ryan's creations sometimes sell faster than she can make them, she still has standards for her work. "I expect a little bit of perfection," she said. "If I look at a piece and there's something wrong with it, I'd rather not make it at all if it doesn't fit my idea of what I wanted to look at. "The person looking at that piece on their coffee table will appreciate your thinking about perfection when you were making it."