I am Rylie Toy (they/them/theirs), a 25-year-old creative. Based in SE Michigan, a lot of my inspiration comes from my time spent in two cities: Detroit and Ann Arbor. I have loved to create from my earliest years, and more recently decided to focus my practice in oil painting. I studied Philosophy at Wayne State University, and took some art classes to supplement the desire to create. Three years later, back in Hell, MI, I dug my oil paints out of storage and have barely put them down since. With a newfound passion to create, as well as a boost of handmade-confidence in the age of generative AI, I strive to inspire connection and embrace imperfection. My values and identity as a neurodiverse trans and queer person greatly shape the way in which I operate, especially creating art. With my nervous system off the wire, art has become a great regulator and a way to connect with myself and my community. Besides self-portraiture, I aim to depict humanity through intimate scenes, memories, and shadows, pulling from impressionist and expressionist stylings and using bright, rich colors (did someone say Cadmium Red (Light)?!?) in complementary palettes. At this stage in my artist process, I am exploring a range of subjects and processes to see what feels right to me.

This page will be updated with relevant information as I progress. I am currently working on my first full series of paintings and hope to share them soon!