Eileen Ryan
Photography is my entry to so many worlds. In the same week I have photographed in a homeless shelter, President Bill Clinton and in the ER of a major trauma center. The stories I tell through the lens reveal the human spirit and the journeys we all make through this life. My practice takes the form of educator, community activist and photographer. My concerns frequently address the teenage years, family, memory and locality. I received a BFA from St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame and a MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Portrait by Abbi Chase
Stories from Eileen Ryan
Eileen Ryan & Jones College Prep
Project Overview
My project is called “Out of the Shadows” and I worked with mostly first generation students at Jones College Prep who are immigrants, children of immigrants or allies of immigrants.
I created this project because I wanted to celebrate the diversity, the inspiration and contributions immigrants give to our nation. I sought to create a safe space where students could choose how to be represented by the camera, seeking an interactive relationship between being seen and seeing. The stories these students shared with me told a story of resilience and inspiration. In one of the country’s most diverse public school systems, these young people give hope to the future of our world.
Eileen Ryan & Waters Elementary
Project Overview
Eileen Ryan & Jones College Prep
