About
Jan Rybczynski (yawn rib-chin-ski, he/him/his) is a multi-disciplinary artist who recently graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design, with a degree in Furniture Design and a concentration in Nature, Culture, and Sustainability Studies. Born and raised in Boulder, Colorado, Jan holds a deep appreciation for the beauty within the natural world in all of its subtle complexity. Spanning from furniture to sculpture, his work is inspired by the physical attributes of the nine biomes of Earth and the beings which inhabit them, employing materials that lend themselves to the craftsmanship and physical process required to work them. The resulting work provokes the limits of material and process, drawing out the harmonious relationship between craft and the inherent beauty of the environment. Through continued exploration, Jan aims to build a sustainable practice which meshes material, process, and historical/cultural context. A structure which will allow him to create work while treating the environment with kindness and respect, make room for the lifelong study of craft. In addition, Jan is currently serving as a Student Trustee on the board of directors for the Furniture Society while continuing to build his practice.
Artist Statement
My work offers a view into the things I've seen, the ways I encounter the world, and pushes the limits of what I've learned. It aims to understand the place from which the work is being made: the maker, the process, the material, the land, the culture, the history. I endeavor as a maker to create objects that have life – functional objects built for use, meant to stretch and morph and change as they grow old. I strive to understand the energy of the materials I use as living beings of my same locale. I twist, curve, shave, bend, intertwine, re-constitute, realign, and re-arrange all kinds of directional fibers and bundles alike. My hope is that my pieces still hold their energy in their new form, fit for a long and active life. My work is of Earth. It exists within the context of the land on which I am a practitioner. I will forever be a student of material and process, as there is always something new to learn.