Ongoing Series

The seasons we wear

The Seasons We Wear explores the shared experiences that define a human life. Through recurring imagery of formal clothing, wildlife, fungi, and natural environments, the series reflects on the milestones, losses, celebrations, and transformations we all encounter.

At the heart of this work is an ongoing fascination with time. Human lives are often measured through significant events and personal histories, while nature follows rhythms that exist beyond our schedules and expectations. Forests grow, decay, and regenerate in continuous cycles, reminding us that we are participants within a larger process rather than separate from it.

The suits that appear throughout the series symbolize the roles we assume and the occasions that shape our identities—weddings, funerals, careers, achievements, and moments of profound

change. Interwoven with these figures, fungi and wildlife serve as symbols of connection, resilience, and the inevitability of return. They reflect the understanding that all life is interconnected and ultimately part of the same cycle.

Through detailed and symbolic compositions, I invite viewers to pause and consider their own relationship with time, memory, and nature. The work encourages reflection on those we have loved and lost, the experiences that have shaped us, and the enduring natural world that surrounds us.

Ultimately, The Seasons We Wear is a meditation on impermanence, continuity, and the shared journey of becoming.

Artist Biography

Jon Ryan is a Canadian painter based in Arnprior, Ontario. Born in Gatineau, Quebec, and raised across several regions of Canada, Ryan developed an early fascination with the natural world through wildlife encyclopedias, bird guides, and countless hours spent observing nature. Today, that lifelong curiosity remains central to his artistic practice.

Working primarily in acrylic on hand-built canvases, Ryan is involved in every stage of creation, from constructing and preparing each support to executing the finished painting. His process is rooted in observation, reflection, and immersion in the landscape. Time spent foraging wild edibles, exploring forests, and documenting wildlife, fungi, and forgotten places provides a continual source of inspiration for his work.

Ryan’s paintings examine the relationship between humanity and the natural world, often exploring themes of impermanence, interconnectedness, memory, and the passage of time. Through surreal and symbolic imagery, he creates narratives that invite contemplation of the cycles that shape both human experience and the ecosystems that surround us.

Since beginning to exhibit professionally in 2020, Ryan’s work has been presented in juried and group exhibitions, including exhibitions with the Carleton Place Gallery and the Cline House Gallery in Cornwall. His paintings have been featured through a collaboration with Collective Arts Brewing and are held in private collections throughout Canada and internationally, including Switzerland. He previously operated a public studio in Renfrew, Ontario, where he engaged directly with collectors and the local arts community.

Ryan continues to develop bodies of work that encourage reflection on our place within nature and the enduring connections between all living things.