ArtGirl

Kristan Ryan, owner of ArtGirl's Out Loud Art Gallery in Lexington, explains the story behind one of her pieces on display. Though much of her work is political, Ryan said her art advocates for suffering men, women and children. (Hannah Freeman/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Kristan Ryan, owner of ArtGirl's Out Loud Art Gallery in Lexington, explains the story behind one of her pieces on display. Though much of her work is political, Ryan said her art advocates for suffering men, women and children. (Hannah Freeman/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Ryan builds followers through her portraits

Hannah Freeman
Wednesday, October 1, 2025
WATCH: ArtGirl fights for freedom with her paintings In the quiet of downtown Lexington, Kristan Ryan — known locally as ArtGirl — is turning pain into powerful portraits.  “I think it’s really even more important for me to paint things that I feel help people who are suffering,” Ryan said.