"Ryan Lareau is a local Charleston artist and professional craftsman. Originally from Sumter, SC, he was creatively inspired and encouraged from a young age by his parents who are also both artists. Although new to wood carving, Lareau’s upbringing, as well as his professional career as a craftsman, have given him a jump start to his distinctive style and dedicated attention to detail.

A passionate outdoorsman all his life, Lareau’s art reflects the beauty and intricate details of nature. Not unlike Darwin and his finches, he has always been intrigued by birds and how they are so perfectly adapted to the environments in which they live, and he attempts to showcase these physical traits in his art.

Using a blend of wood, copper and brass, Lareau’s mixed-medium approach reflects both his artistic sensibility and his respect for traditional craftsmanship. Through this, he captures the beauty of the natural world he has admired since boyhood, continuing the legacy of his father while carving (pun intended) his own creative path."