Carnival is often reduced to costumes, colour and spectacle. For Weldon Ryan, it is lived culture, movement, presence and community rendered on canvas. Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Ryan translates the energy of Caribbean Carnival into large-scale paintings that capture both the pageantry and the people behind it.
Ryan photographs masqueraders at carnivals across the Caribbean diaspora and uses these encounters as reference for his paintings. His compositions are tight, immersive and vibrant, drawing viewers into the scene rather than keeping them at a distance. Every brushstroke emphasises realism and movement, reflecting the human energy that drives Carnival.
In Ryan’s own words:
“Expressing the Art of Carnival is my prime motivation… My use of colour… brings attention that creates dialog which in turn tells the story of Caribbean Culture.” (Ormond Art Museum)
His work resists romanticisation. Carnival is not just celebration; it is cultural claim and communal expression, embodied in every figure he paints. Through Ryan’s eyes, Carnival becomes both a visual record and a lived, present experience.
For Ryan, Carnival is not just colour. It is people, presence and movement, rendered in oils on canvas, a practice that documents Caribbean identity while inviting audiences worldwide to witness its depth and vitality.
You can view more of Weldon Ryan’s Carnival paintings and his broader work on his website at weldonryan.com.
