Memorial for Pat Ryan May 3 2008 in Downtown Branch of Albuquerque Public Library

We have come together today to honor the life of Pat Ryan. She died November 7, 2007. I am going to give some information that family and Rainbow Artist friends of Pat have provided . Then if you have any anecdotes, stories, memories, please feel free to share. Afterwards there will be time to look at samples of her work and other memorabilia. In the community room there will be pizza and drinks for everyone
honoring Pat's wishes for a celebration in her memory.

Pat was born on May 1, 1941 in Chicago Illinois, the first-born daughter of Marty and Ed Ryan. Her mother Marty, a Rainbow Artist, said she was premature and only weighed 3 pounds and 7 ounces. Her sister Judy was born in 1943 and her brother Jay in 1948.

From an early age she copied cartoons from funny papers, comic books and later the notorious Mad magazine. Her father thought she was tracing them, but no, she was drawing them freehand, just by looking. When she was 9, her mother found her an art teacher.

She attended parochial school from kindergarten to college graduation. In college she majored in psychology and art. After she graduated in 1963, she entered the convent where she remained three years when she decided it was not for her. Her decision to leave was a painful, wrenching experience.

About that time (1966), mental hospitals were closing nationwide. Chicago had a program to help people who had been in the mental hospitals to find housing, to ensure they took their meds, and to orient them back into the community. Pat went to work in the Chicago program in a place called The Place. She met Joan Berman in this program. (Joan
told us about Pat's work with Art Therapy, a new field at the time, but a natural for Pat.)

When that program ended, Pat went to work for Neimann Marcus in their new store in Northbrook, a suburb of Chicago. At first she worked in stocking, helped to set up the store, and made signs for them. The visual department for Neimann Marcus noticed her signs and snapped her up. Her art talent was discovered and she was given the job of window
displays. Her boss was Candace, the head of Neimann Marcus visual department then and now. In addition two guys who had been doing window displays for a long time mentored Pat giving her excellent training.

First she had to coordinate with buyers, adapting quickly to what would be the fashion. Then she would plan what the window would look like, build the display, and install it, always working with a crew. It would be up for a month or two. Meanwhile she would be thinking of the theme for the next display, which would be put up as soon as the other one
came down.

When Neimann Marcus opened their Michigan Avenue store, Pat began to work there designing and building displays for four enormous windows.

Eventually she travelled widely to other cities where Neimann Marcus opened stores. She would work with a crew from other Neimann Marcus stores, including their flagship store in Dallas setting up the first set of windows and then she would train visual crew for Neimann Marcus.

Because her window installations were temporary, Pat learned not to get attached to her art work She developed a philosophy of disposable art. She did however take photographs of every window displays which became
her portfolio of her work. Does anyone know where this book of her art career is?

There was a downside to this line of work. They used toxic materials. They did not wear masks or rubber gloves. She hurt her back.

For this reason, when her parents moved to Albuquerque around 1990, she agreed to join them. Pat ran into Joan Bermann at an Arts and Crafts Fair and Joan suggested she join Rainbow Artists. This was probably 1993

Most of us knew Pat through Rainbow Artists. She worked for years on the Exhibition Committee, made numerous invitations, flyers, signs for the group. I remember whatever theme Rainbow came up with for a show, Pat would have the perfect work of art for that theme. I also remember her helping me with a collage, making helpful suggestions which directed me
to my own creativity. In a meeting she would be very quiet, and then she would come up with the best ideas. Many remember her agile wit which also came out in her work.

Gloria Hajduk has put together Pat's cartoons for Rainbow which are in a notebook in the reception area.

In addition to working with Rainbow Artists, Pat sold cartoons to the New Mexican Woman, did several window designs for Bound to be Read and for several years, designed the windows of Caardvark in Nob Hill for several years. Terri, the owner, is here with us today and is wearing one of the Neimann Marcus signs Pat made dated 1987. Pat sent it to her
as a pin. (She has saved all of Pat's window designs in a storage area.)

She was always involved in public art. Here at this library she designed the frames on the stairwell and in this room for children's art. She built such a good scale model that the Rainbow Artists were invited to do the wall. They spent two weeks working in the room where the reception will be held. She designed another wall for the Wyoming branch.

When the New Mexico Museum of Natural History handed out giant dinosaurs to be painted, Pat enthusiastically painted three which she titled Dinersor, Sailorsaurus and Pastasaurus for which he received an award.

She took care of her mother when she had a heart attack. Her mother recovered and the two of them took care of Ed when he became ill.

In the spring of 06 Pat was diagnosed with cancer. She fought a long and hard battle against melanoma.

She is survived by her mother Marty, her sister Judy and husband Rick, brother Jay and Lulu, the dog she adopted when Ann Ward died. (When Ann herself was diagnosed with colon cancer, Pat sent her frequent original cards to boost her spirits).

We all can remember Pat for her good heart, her desire to work for the community, for her selflessness, and of course for her art where we see her wit, her vision, her soul.

Martha Heard