10 Questions with Ryan Tesluk
Ryan Tesluk's art provides viewers with honest, unadulterated content that triggers a plethora of emotions. While many individuals may be uncomfortable with what they see, the fact that some may feel such discomfort when looking at his paintings means Tesluk is doing something right.
Ryan Tesluk - Portrait
Ryan Tesluk is an Oakland and LA-based interdisciplinary artist and storyteller. In his teens, he was known for drawing detailed fictional maps of cities in his home state of California. When Tesluk graduated from college in 2018, his practice shifted to socio-political commentary using gouache, watercolor, and acrylic on reused surfaces. Tesluk's work has sparked both controversy and captivation with his willingness to take risks and shock viewers. Along with being mentioned by Raw Vision Magazine, he has had five solo exhibitions: "Rising Stars of LA" at the Hive Gallery (Los Angeles), "Apolitico" at FM Oakland, "American Gentricide" at FM Oakland, "Church of Madoff" at AdelinesLab (Berkeley CA), and "Mapping it Out" at Preservation Coffee (Modesto, CA). Tesluk's art has also been viewed by Pamela Anderson and Emily Ratajkowski. You can visit him at FM Oakland during open studios on the first Friday of each month from 5 to 9 pm and every Saturday from 1 to 5 pm. You can also see a rotating selection of his work at the Hive Gallery in downtown Los Angeles every week, Wednesday through Saturday, from 1 to 6 pm and the first Saturday of each month from 8 to 11 pm.
Flamingo Friday, Gouache on Magazine Page, 11x17 in, 2023 © Ryan Tesluk
INTERVIEW
First, tell us a little about your background and studies. How did you start making art? And are you still following the same aspiration?
The idea of pursuing art as a career never occurred to me during my childhood. As geography was my favorite school subject, however, I unwittingly followed the creative path by drawing detailed fictional maps of Californian cities. I decided to fully commit to being an artist in 2013 and went on to earn a BFA at the Dominican University of California.
What is your personal aim as an artist?
My personal aim as an artist is to showcase the inconvenient truth sprinkled with politics, pop culture, and a dark sense of humor.
Space Jam, Gouache on Magazine Page, 11x17 in, 2022 © Ryan Tesluk
You define yourself as an interdisciplinary artist and storyteller. What stories do you want to narrate? And how do you choose them?
The stories I like to narrate depend on a variety of factors. For the most part, my gut will tell me what to paint within moments of looking at a photograph. My map paintings, however, are planned out more strategically in my sketchbooks.
How does your approach to art change in relation to the different mediums?
My approach to art depends on what I’m painting more so than the medium I’m using. While working on a larger subject gives me more space to do larger, more liberal brush strokes, a miniature requires meticulous precision and tactical execution.
You work with gouache, which you apply over magazine pages and images. How did you come up with this idea? And how did you develop this style?
I started drawing on magazine pages when I was in college since they provided a cheaper and greener alternative to buying blank paper. It wasn’t until after I graduated college, however, that the former dominated my practice. As my first studio was my bedroom, I did not have the room nor a proper location for my then desire to use acrylic on canvas. I thus turned to gouache and magazine pages as an alternative that I still use to this day. When I first used gouache in college, I loathed the medium for the high price of its minuscule tubes compared to the larger and cheaper counterparts of oil and acrylic. Such contempt was replaced by appreciation when I rediscovered it four years later.
Japan, Gouache on Magazine Page, 11x17 in, 2023 © Ryan Tesluk
Ultimately, what messages do you want to convey with your art?
I like to convey messages of hope, honesty, and color regardless of what I paint.
Do you have any role models or artists you particularly admire? Anyone you draw inspiration from?
One artist that I draw inspiration from is Pittsburgh-based John Rogers. His body of work is littered with colorful humor, political satire, and potent imagery with the power to wake viewers up from any delusional thoughts. I feel I can relate to his art from my experiences.
Let’s talk about the public. Do you feel viewers can relate to your art? And what has been their feedback so far?
The public’s reaction to my art is in absolutes-they either fall in love with my work or hate it with a passion. On one end, my paintings have triggered people to vandalize my art and have public meltdowns. I have also seen people fall in love with my work and myself within seconds of seeing it for the first time.
OnlyFans, Gouache on Magazine Page, 11x17 inches, 2023 © Ryan Tesluk
Is there any other medium or theme you would like to tackle in the future?
I would like to paint on much larger pieces of paper and reclaimed wood panels in the future. However, I do not have enough space in my studio to do so without overflowing what little storage space I have. I have also discovered that my smaller paintings are more successful when it comes to sales.
Finally, do you have any upcoming exhibitions or collaborations? Any new project you want to share with us?
I have a new permanent display wall at the Hive Gallery in downtown Los Angeles. You can pop in to see a rotating selection of my art every week, Wednesday through Saturday from 1 to 6 pm, and the first Saturday of each month from 8 to 11 pm. My studio space at FM Oakland is also open to the public every Saturday from 1 to 5 pm and the first Friday of each month from 5 to 9 pm.
Artist’s Talk
Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a promotional platform for artists to articulate their vision and engage them with our diverse readership through a published art dialogue. The artists are interviewed by Mohamed Benhadj, the founder & curator of Al-Tiba9, to highlight their artistic careers and introduce them to the international contemporary art scene across our vast network of museums, galleries, art professionals, art dealers, collectors, and art lovers across the globe.
