Ryan Adams

My ‘gem’ style of work was developed through the study of letterforms and the layering techniques used in experimenting with spray paint to add shadows and highlights to create depth and movement throughout the pieces. The backbone of the work is lettering, so this affords the opportunity to directly convey a statement or saying within the piece that is camouflaged within the bending and intertwining geometric shapes. I often try to take that opportunity to express a thought or bit of knowledge that draws from lessons learned from diverse array of life experiences. The fact that there is a statement masked within the piece adds a layer to the viewing experience in which the audience becomes directly involved in trying to decipher the message within the piece. This interactive and immersive viewing experience is shared with the Cubist and American Graffiti movements that heavily influence this style of work. The duality of the work, being viewed as a geometric abstraction while also including a direct statement, is exhibited in the naming of the ‘gem’ style. It alludes to the dimensional shapes reflecting the look of natural gemstones and also alludes to the slang term of ‘gems’ meaning an important piece of knowledge handed down through a witty statement.