Born on the edge of the Bering Sea, Ryding spent her youngest years on the northwest coast of Alaska before the family moved to Connecticut and later Illinois. After undergraduate studies in Illinois and finishing with a BA in studio art in Seattle, Washington she spent a couple more years back in the village of Unalakleet, Alaska.
Ryding earned her MA in Vermont in combined Art History/Studio Art with an emphasis on the creative process. She has studied and explored ancient media, including egg tempera, woodcut printing, encaustic and paper collage.
Now living in northwestern Pennsylvania, Ryding has been in one place for a long time, raising 3 daughters and several dogs and cats. She looks for every opportunity to hit the road and see what’s out there, especially enjoying trips to National and State Parks all across the country.
Currently her studio work is in encaustic and frequently incorporates collage elements. Ryding is represented in several galleries locally and with the Encaustic Art Institute in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
In addition to studio work, Ryding is an adjunct instructor in the Art Department at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, Director of the Art in the Wilds show, and also directs the local artists’ cooperative ArtWorks on the Summit.