Ryan Quinn

Ryan Quinn grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, and still feels a strong connection with the Midwest, especially the values of honesty, humility and compassion that his family surrounded him with as a child. And despite his childhood resistance to helping his mom in her extensive vegetable gardens and pumpkin fields, he has come to enjoy nature – in the way that a farmer enjoys a personal knowledge of the land, rather than in the way a hiker feels a connection with the forest.

The Meaning Behind Zaivy Zaets (An Unneeded Hare) The sculpture title Zaivy Zaets translates from Ukrainian as “An Unneeded Hare.” This was Ryan’s first sculpture, created as a learning exercise under his teacher Serhii Brylov. Serhii instructed Ryan to choose an American fairy tale as the sculpture theme. He selected Brier Rabbit, specifically a storyline where Brier Rabbit is trapped by Brer Fox; he tricks the Fox into throwing him into the thorny briar patch – one would suspect a painful end for Rabbit. However, the briar patch is where Brier Rabbit was born and raised. Therefore, showing his cleverness, resilience, and poise in a moment of danger. To me, Brer Rabbit – and the sculpture he inspired – “Unwanted Hare” – share a lot with the Ukrainian people as I know them, says Ryan, and as I have seen them respond to the Russian invasion. As a country it is smaller and less powerful, but as a nation Ukraine has proven itself to be formidable, with all the same characteristics as Brer Rabbit – resilience, bravery, and a refusal to give up when in grip of a ruthless foe. The people of Ukraine are fighting for their lives, but they are doing it on their home turf, with all the tenacity in the world.