This week, the Avon Old Farms community welcomed Ryan McCann to campus as this year’s visiting artist. McCann played collegiate football at UCLA before signing a contract with the Cincinnati Bengals, but ultimately left the sport behind in order to pursue his art.

Since then, McCann has experimented with various mediums including painting and photography, and has become a standout in the unique technique called “pyrography,” which involves burning images onto a wooden canvas.

He arrived on campus on Sunday night for a discussion and Q+A session in the Brown Auditorium. On Monday, he began with a presentation of his work and career at Morning Meeting. He then spent the whole day visiting art classes where he led students through activities to build or create something within some set parameters that challenged their perspectives and thought processes. Students were forced to use their creativity and think outside the box.

In Mr. James Kassel’s woodworking class, students constructed three dimensional models and projected light onto them to explore how the casted shadows would change based on different angels and positions. In Digital Photography with Mrs. Tiziana Meneghel-Rozzo, students were sent out into campus to take images of every-day objects but from a perspective they are not often viewed from. “We created scenarios that get you to think like an artist,” McCann explains. “It got them to think differently.” 

His visit wrapped up on Monday night with a casual gathering on the art patio where students had the opportunity to chat further. While McCann was inspiring Avon students, he was getting inspired by the Avon setting. “It’s unbelievable. There’s nothing like this where I’m from in southern California. You can feel the history. You can feel the intention of the woman who started this place. It’s inspiring.”

He said the students themselves were impressive as well. “They were so respectful. They made me feel special. I really enjoyed their curiosity,” McCann says, adding what he hopes the students take away from his visit. “The message of trusting that little voice telling you what you want to do. Whether it’s a big life decision or just about a small detail in a particular assignment you’re working on. Follow that gut feeling.”