RYEN HUNTLEY, ARTIST, VISIONARY AND MULTI-PASSIONATE CREATIVE
Ryen Huntley is the visionary artist and creative force behind the Ryen Huntley Art, Yuck-Foot Vintage, Badge To The Bone and Troupe brands. With a passion for innovation and a heart dedicated to creating new and exciting projects, Ryen has carved a unique path in the world of design and art.
A multi-passionate creative with endless energy for the things and people she loves, this dynamic trailblazer's journey is a testament to the power of creativity and positive change. Her commitment to excellence and her ability to see beyond the ordinary sets her apart in her field and I am thrilled she is here with us to share her business journey. Over to you Ryen...
SO, RYEN, WHAT'S YOUR STORY?
When I look at the arc of my story, it feels like I'm still at the beginning—still discovering what drives me and how my different interests fit together.
Since moving to the U.K., I've been working as an artist, but I'm always pushing myself to grow and avoid staying in one creative lane.
What I've realized over time is that I need more than just intuitive, free-flowing creativity to feel balanced. While art is a huge part of what I do, I've found that engaging in other projects that require structure and repetition gives my creative brain a break. It's this mix—between the openness of art and the focus on something more rigid, like curating vintage periodicals or working on freelance design projects—that keeps me feeling balanced and energized.
I worked in the lettings industry for a long time, which gave me the stability to create without worrying about how my art would support me. But it also kept me in a holding pattern. Now that I'm working for myself, the balance between creative freedom and structured projects keeps me constantly engaged and growing while also giving me the space to be spontaneous and iterate.
LEAVING THE CORPORATE WORLD AND STEPPING INTO SELF-EMPLOYMENT CAN BE A SCARY TRANSITION. HOW DID YOU FIND IT? IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY LOOKING BACK?
When the time came to step away from corporate life, it wasn't really a question anymore. I realized that the balance between work and life needed to shift for me—I had to put life first and trust that the work would fall into place around it. Change is always a little scary, but once you know you're capable of adapting, that fear starts to fade. The more you lean into that understanding, the less intimidating the unknown becomes.
WHAT KEY LESSONS HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM YOUR EXPERIENCES (GOOD AND NOT SO GOOD) IN YOUR BUSINESS?
I've definitely gone down a few rabbit holes—like chasing potential marketing strategies or sales pipelines—that ended up taking a lot of time without really paying off. That's been one of my biggest lessons: learning when to let go of things that aren't working and staying focused on what actually moves the needle. Avoiding burnout has been another huge lesson. For me, having multiple projects going at once helps. It lets me switch gears when one thing isn't clicking. There are times when painting just isn't doing it for me, and I can shift my focus to something else instead.
Another thing I've learned is to look at opportunities with a clear, pragmatic lens. It's important to figure out if something is really going to benefit me or if it's just going to add unnecessary stress. And sometimes, it's okay to step back and say, "This isn't working for me." That mindset has helped me cut through a lot of the noise in work and life.
WHO OR WHAT INSPIRES YOU AS AN ARTIST?
I'm inspired by people who challenge themselves and push against societal norms. That drive to break expectations really resonates with me. My inspiration comes from all kinds of places—musicians like Patti Smith, Bob Dylan, and Haley Heynderickx, and artists like Egon Schiele, Willem de Kooning, and Lucian Freud. There's something in their work, this mix of chaos and tranquillity, where even something unsettling can be beautiful, and beauty can sometimes feel uncomfortable.
I'll often find myself listening to the same songs on repeat for days. Whether I'm painting or working on other projects, there's a tone or lyric that keeps pulling me along, moving me through whatever I'm working on. It's like a thread that connects everything I do. I love that you can listen to or watch something a hundred times, and then, in a nuanced moment, it connects perfectly with whatever you're creating and influences that exact moment.
HOW DO YOU HANDLE CRITICISM?
I'm probably my own toughest critic. I pour a lot of joy and passion into my projects, and I like to think that it comes through in the work I put out there. I haven't received a lot of criticism, but when I do, I try to stay balanced about it. Criticism is just someone's perspective on what you're doing—you take the parts that feel valuable and let go of the rest.
If a critique hits on something you're already questioning in your own work, it's worth paying attention to. But I also think it's important to ask if it's really adding anything new to the conversation you're already having with yourself through your art or projects.
WHICH MOTIVATIONAL SONG WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO ADD TO CEO RADIO SPOTIFY PLAYLIST FOR YOU?
On repeat right now is, 'I Say a Little Prayer' by Aretha Franklin, 1968.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT WORKING FOR YOURSELF?
What I love most about working for myself is having control over my time and deciding how much of myself I want to dedicate to any given task. That flexibility is everything. Being able to switch between projects as I go, based on what's working or what new information I've picked up along the way, feels constantly rewarding.
I've also found that working for myself puts me in situations where I'm learning from others—whether it's their experiences, mistakes, or the generosity of their knowledge. It's opened me up to more connections and opportunities than I expected. Plus, there's room for spontaneity, which keeps things exciting.
DO YOU WORK FROM HOME, AND HOW DO YOU STAY MOTIVATED DAY TO DAY?
I do work from home sometimes, but I also have a workshop, and that's been invaluable for keeping me motivated. I can work from home, sure, but having a space to go to really pushes me to get up, get ready, and head out with a purpose. Routines definitely fuel my motivation, and that can be both a blessing and a challenge—if something throws my routine off, it can take a bit to get back on track. So I try to stick to a schedule that feels manageable and not beat myself up if it gets interrupted.
I also stay motivated by staying curious. I'm always asking questions like, "How are other people making this work? How do they connect with people? Why is this approach working for them and not for me?" Those questions keep me learning and engaged, and they help me refocus on days when motivation feels a little harder to come by.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST EXCITING MOMENT AS AN ARTIST TO DATE?
I set myself the challenge of painting 100 portraits, with the goal of taking that body of work to the "Other Art Fair" in Los Angeles. Staying on task and producing that much work in just a few months felt monumental. Having the opportunity to show my work alongside other artists was incredibly rewarding, but there was also a huge amount of problem-solving involved.
Coordinating the logistics of getting large-scale works shipped to the U.S., stretching the canvases, curating the space, and then driving from the East Coast to the West Coast—and back—while making gallery connections along the way was a challenge in itself. Thankfully, I had a strong support system around me—my family and friends—who helped make it all possible.
For me, it wasn't just about the end result. Letting go of expectations and navigating all those logistics, with the help of the people around me, allowed me to learn a lot about the process and about myself.
DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN ONE WORD
Curious.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE BOOK OR PODCAST RECOMMENDATION FOR OUR READERS?
I tend to lean toward comedy when it comes to recommendations. Me Talk Pretty One Day (or really anything by David Sedaris) is a favorite—it's sharp, funny, and just the right amount of absurd. I'm also a big fan of the Harmontown podcast. It's a bit offbeat and irreverent, but there's something about its honesty and humor that always pulls me in.
IF SOMEONE READING THIS WAS CONSIDERING EMBARKING ON A CAREER AS AN ARTIST, WHAT ONE PIECE OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE?
There are thousands of lessons and just as many paths, and none of them are entirely right or wrong. Be open to advice, be open-minded, and learn from others, but ultimately, stay true to yourself.
IF YOU COULD ARRANGE A DINNER PARTY WITH THREE OTHER PEOPLE, WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE AND WHY?
If I could arrange a dinner party, I'd choose David Sedaris, Henry Rollins, and Dolly Parton. David Sedaris would bring that dry, witty humor I love, and Henry Rollins has this raw, intense energy that would make for some really interesting conversation. Then there's Dolly Parton—she's just iconic. Her warmth, storytelling, and perspective on life would balance everything out perfectly. It'd be a wild mix, but I think it'd lead to some ace conversations.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW FOR SURE?
That knowing yourself and doing the work to heal your shit is the most important thing we can do—not only for ourselves but for each other. Be kind and be patient.
HOW DO YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED?
I'm not really concerned with being remembered, but if I am, I'd want to be known as someone who was kind, curious, open-minded, and gave a shit.
WHAT MAKES YOU TRULY HAPPY?
I think just being makes me happy. But driving at golden hour in the summer with good company, the windows down, listening to good music is exceptional. It feels sacred—and I feel privileged every time I get to experience it.
Ryen's comments about the cover image, 'Romantic':
'Like the majority of my work, the painting was intuitive and a result of things I was feeling and listening to at the time of it’s making. The feeling I got after reading a Howard Zinn quote was top of mind when creating this — it is:
"To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness.
What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places—and there are so many—where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction.
And if we do act, in however small a way, we don't have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory."
While painting this, it was Summer in England, and beautiful wild flowers were abundant. ‘Ever more visible’ seemed fitting for this piece and was inspired by Anne Rice.
The artwork is available for sale on my website, here.'
If you want to know more about Ryen and her work, you can read more about her here.
