Education
1999
Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture, University of Alberta
1997
Bachelor of Fine Arts, University of Alberta
Exhibitions
2019
Shapeshifter, Artpoint Gallery, Calgary
Hambidge 2019 Art Auction, The Works, Atlanta, USA
Ruthless Abandon, Common Sense, Edmonton
2018
Hambidge 2018 Art Auction, Atlanta Decorative Arts Center, USA
New Works, Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig, Ireland
Hambidge Suite, Common Sense, Edmonton
2017
Text + Image, Bleeding Heart Art Space, Edmonton
Metals/Myth, Common Sense, Edmonton
2016
Sculpture Alley, Common Sense, Edmonton
2015
Brain Storms: UAlberta Creates, Enterprise Square Gallery, Edmonton
2013
Looking Back, Common Sense, Edmonton
ECAS 20th Annual Exhibition, Enterprise Square Gallery, Edmonton
2012
Shady Gardens, Common Sense, Edmonton
Inspired by Travel, Leighton Art Foundation, Calgary
2011
Open Studio Exhibition, Common Sense, Edmonton
ECAS 19th Annual Exhibition, Enterprise Square Gallery, Edmonton
Adaptation and Alteration, Art Gallery of St. Albert, St. Albert
2010
ECAS 18th Annual Exhibition, Enterprise Square Gallery, Edmonton
Sights to See, Common Sense, Edmonton
National Portrait Gallery, Latitude 53, Edmonton
2009
Portrait Helmets, Common Sense, Edmonton
ECAS 17th Annual Exhibition, Peter Robertson Gallery, Edmonton
Wearable Art Awards Exhibition, Port Moody Arts Centre, Port Moody, BC
Wearable Art Awards Performance, City Hall Galleria, Port Moody, BC
Sculpture In Our Time, Common Sense, Edmonton
2008
ECAS 16th Annual Exhibition, Common Sense, Edmonton
Dirty Noisy Smelly, Western Avenue Studios, Lowell, MA, USA
Lambton II: Five Years Later, The Lambton Institute of Advanced Modernism, Edmonton
2007
New Directions, Stollery Gallery, Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts, Edmonton
ECAS 15th Annual Exhibition, Peter Robertson Gallery, Edmonton
Flat, Art Gallery of Alberta, Edmonton
Free For All, Art Gallery of Alberta, Edmonton
2006
Will and Representation, Sculpture by Invitation: Shaw Conference Centre Plaza, Edmonton
ECAS 14th Annual Exhibition, Planet Ze Gallery, Edmonton
Big Things 4, Royal Alberta Museum, Edmonton
Sculpture on the Plaza, Sculpturesite Gallery, San Francisco, USA
2005
ECAS 13th Annual Exhibition, Great West Saddlery Building, Edmonton
Vernissage, Sculpturesite Gallery, San Francisco, USA
Alberta Centennial Sculpture Exhibition, Royal Alberta Museum, Edmonton
2004
ECAS 12th Annual Exhibition, Great West Saddlery Building, Edmonton
Big Things 3, The Provincial Museum of Alberta, Edmonton
Six Sculptors, Lando Gallery, Edmonton
2003
ECAS 11th Annual Exhibition, Great West Saddlery Building, Edmonton
Domesticity, SNAP Gallery, Edmonton
Big Things 2, The Provincial Museum of Alberta, Edmonton
2002
Desperate Measures, The Works Gallery, Edmonton
North Edmonton Sculpture Workshop, Global Visions Film Festival, Edmonton
Edmonton Sculpture: The Next Generation, Harcourt House Gallery, Edmonton
Big Things, The Provincial Museum of Alberta, Edmonton
Front Room Sculpture, Harcourt House Gallery, Edmonton
2001
ECAS 9th Annual Exhibition, Great West Saddlery Building, Edmonton
Sculpture– The Works: 2001, Art Expo 2001, Edmonton
2000
Recent Works, The Works Visual Arts Festival, Edmonton
1999
Modern Artifacts, Fine Arts Building Gallery, University of Alberta, Edmonton
1997
What’s New, Art Rental and Sales Gallery, Edmonton Art Gallery
Proclamation, Fine Arts Building Gallery, University of Alberta, Edmonton
Awards, Grants, Scholarships, and Residencies
2018 – 2019
Creative Director – The Local Cannabist, Edmonton
2018
Tyrone Guthrie Centre Artist Residency – Annaghmakerrig, Monaghan, Ireland
Travel Grant – Edmonton Arts Council Community Investment Program
2017
Hambidge Fellow – Hambidge Creative Residency Program – Rabun Gap, Georgia
Travel Grant – Edmonton Arts Council Community Investment Program
2016
Art Award – Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations
2011
Top Forty Under Forty Award – Avenue Magazine
2009
Wearable Art Awards Headdress Category First Prize – City of Port Moody
2008
Column of the Year Award – Connect2Edmonton
Project Grant – Alberta Foundation for the Arts
2006
Project Grant – Alberta Foundation for the Arts
2005
Travel Grant – Edmonton Arts Council Community Investment Program
2004
Project Grant – Alberta Foundation for the Arts
Award – Edmonton Artists’ Trust Fund
2003
Award – Lee Fund for the Arts
Project Grant – Alberta Foundation for the Arts
2002
Project Grant – Alberta Foundation for the Arts
2000
Helen Collinson Memorial Award – Edmonton Artists’ Trust Fund
1999
Mary Louise Imrie Graduate Student Award – University of Alberta
1998
Melba Sadler Graduate Scholarship in Art and Design – University of Alberta
1997
Award for Excellence in Sculpture – Investors Group
Collections & Commissions
Alberta Foundation for the Arts
All Weather Windows
City of Edmonton
City of Red Deer
Northern Metallurgical Laboratories Ltd.
Robert T. Webb Sculpture Garden, Dalton GA
Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig, Ireland
University of Alberta Museums
Private collections in Canada and the United States
Gallery Representation
Canada Common Sense, 10546 – 115 Street, Edmonton, AB
USA Sculpturesite, 23588 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, CA, USA
Selected Media
2019
Cory Schachtel, “The Story Behind Ryan McCourt’s “Hot Ganesha” Sculpture”, Avenue Magazine, November.
2017
Jeremy Simes, “Edmonton Split on Flag Redesign”, Edmonton Metro, March 13.
Julia Wong, “No Agreement on Value or Design of Edmonton’s Municipal Flag: Survey”, Global News, March 12.
2016
Jeremy Simes, “Iveson Proposed Edmonton Debate New Flag, Highlights Reconciliation”, Edmonton Metro, November 10.
Elise Stolte, “Mayor Hoists New Flag Idea Up The Pole To See If It Will Fly With Public”, Edmonton Journal, November 10.
Pamela Leier, “Mayor Draws Attention To City Flag”, CTV News, November 10.
Elise Stolte, “Should Edmonton’s City Flag Be Changed?”, Edmonton Journal, September 24.
Elise Stolte, “What Makes A Good Flag: An Expert Critiques Two Proposals to Redesign Edmonton’s Flag”, Edmonton Journal, September 24.
2012
Janice Ryan, “Big Spaces For Big Sculptures”, Edmonton Journal, November 4.
2011
Kim Collins-Lauber, “Top 40 Under 40”, Avenue Magazine, November.
Janice Ryan, “Two Local Artists Toy With Our Perceptions”, Edmonton Journal, April 22.
Scott Hayes, “ArtWalk Kicks Off New Season”, St. Albert Gazette, April 6.
Ian Kucerak, “Getting To Know You”, Saint City News, March 25.
Ian Kucerak, ”City Officially Launches ArtiCulture Festival”, Saint City News, February 25.
2010
Franklin Einspruch, “The McCourt Hoax”, Journal, August 2.
Robin Schroffel, “In Your Sight Line”, See Magazine, June 17.
2009
Mari Sasano, “Art Of The Helmet”, See Magazine, December 10.
Janice Ryan, “Modern Times’ Many Faces”, Edmonton Journal, September 18.
Andrew Paul, “Studiovisit: Ryan McCourt – Sculptor”, See Magazine, August 20.
Jessica Murdy, “Funnell Succeeds at Port Moody Art Awards”, Agassiz Observer, June 5.
Sarah Payne, “Vote For Your Favourite”, Tri-City News, June 2
Adam Waldron-Blain, “What’s Really Wrong With Edmonton”, Prairie Artsters, May 6.
Mandy Espezel & Jill Stanton, “Does The Public Enjoy Public Art?”, See Magazine, January 22.
2008
David Berry, “No One’s A Critic”, Vue Weekly, December 25.
Amy Fung, “A Different Kind Of ARC”, Vue Weekly, July 10.
2007
Vaidvisa Bala, “Grotesque Ganeshas Protested”, Hinduism Today, October/November/December.
‘Eye on Alberta’, “The Reawakening Of Ganesha”, Alberta Views, November Issue.
Tom Murray, “Multiple Directions Merge In Single Exhibit”, Edmonton Journal, October 5.
Amy Fung, “Censorship At Least Deserves A Debate”, Vue Weekly, October 3.
Glenn Weiss, “The Role of Censorship In Public Art”, Aesthetic Grounds, October 2.
Briefly Noted, “Hindus Protest Statue of Deity”, CARFAC SASK Newsletter, Vol. 1 9, No. 08, October.
Krishna Bagdiya, “Sculptures No Threat”, Edmonton Journal, September 30.
Joe Renaud, “Art’s Message Isn’t Always Pretty”, Edmonton Journal, September 30.
Margaret Wente, “Why Are We So Afraid To Offend?”, The Globe and Mail, September 29.
Bruce Dunbar, “Mandel Oversteps Bounds”, Edmonton Journal, September 23.
Donna McKinnon, “No Place For Censorship”, Edmonton Journal, September 23.
Paula Simons, “Sculptor’s Use Of Revered Hindu Deity Shows No Signs Of Sacrilege”, Edmonton Journal, September 22
Gordon Kent, “Art Called Irreverent”, Windsor Star, September 22.
Indo–Asian News Service, “Nude Ganesh Idols To Be Removed After Hindus Protest”, Times of India, September 21.
CanWest News Service, “Sculptures Offend Hindus”, Vancouver Sun, September 21.
Val Ross, “Edmonton To Remove Statues After Hindu Protest”, The Globe and Mail, September 20.
Joshua B. Good, “Erotic Hindu Statues Censored In Canada, Sculptor Refuses To Cover ‘Naughty Bits’”, Banned Magazine, September 20.
Lyle Cott, “Edmonton Mayor Scraps Sculptures After Hindu Protest”, CBC News, September 20.
Gordon Kent, “Sculptor Unfazed By Criticism”, Edmonton Journal, September 20.
Gordon Kent, “Sculptures Of Hindu God Rile Faithful”, Calgary Herald, September 19.
Frank Landry, “Statues To Come Down”, Edmonton Sun, September 19.
Gordon Kent, “Scrap Sculptures, Mayor Says”, Edmonton Journal, September 19.
ECAS 15th Annual Exhibition (exhibition catalogue), Edmonton Contemporary Artists Society.
Paula Simons, “Diverse Works Delight The Eye With Whimsy, Passion”, Edmonton Journal, June 16.
2006
Agnieszka Matejko, “Where Does Artistic Freedom End And Cultural Appropriation Begin?”, Vue Weekly, Issue 538, December 21.
Bill Mah, “Artists Give Walls Of Shaw Extension Lively Look”, Edmonton Journal, November 18.
Mari Sasano, “The Museum Wants You To Think Big. Really Big”, Edmonton Journal, August 25.
Gilbert Bouchard, “Bianca Khan’s One–Tonne Challenge”, Edmonton Journal, July 23.
2005
Kimberly Hathaway, “Sculpturesite & San Francisco: Celebrating Contemporary Sculpture, Public Art and Public Art Preservation”, Espace Sculpture, Issue 74, Hiver.
Gilbert Bouchard, “Creativity Is In The Small Things”, Edmonton Journal, October 9.
Jamie Windborne, “Gallery Opens With Show Of Forceful Spatial Expression”, The San Francisco Art News Extra, August 13.
Gilbert Bouchard, “War, Peace Among Themes Of Sculpture Exhibition”, Edmonton Journal, July 8.
Mari Sasano, “Sculptors Slaves To Big Things”, Edmonton Journal, July 1.
Jeffrey Sterr, “Sculpting A Career”, Work of Arts, Spring.
2004
Gilbert Bouchard, “Artists’ Group Comes Home To Saddlery Building”, Edmonton Journal, October 8.
Olenka Melnyk, “Big Sculpture, Bigger Worries Burden Artists”, Edmonton Journal, July 12.
Piri Halasz, “Of Bold New Frontiers And Stale Red Herrings”, From The Mayor’s Doorstep, No. 52, March 1.
2002
Mike Berezowsky, “Sculpture Exhibit Gets A Big Response”, Edmonton Examiner, September 11.
Mike Winters, “Fitting Into The Modernist Mould”, See Magazine, Issue 455, August 12.
Erik Floren, “Big Impressions”, The Edmonton Sunday Sun, July 28.
Gilbert Bouchard, “Come To Expect ‘Big Things’”, Edmonton Journal, July 19.
Terry Fenton, “Edmonton Sculpture: The Next Generation”, Harcourt Expressed, Volume 12, Summer.
Gilbert Bouchard, “Shows Explore Layers Of Domesticity, With Sculpture And Silver”, Edmonton Journal, May 24.
2001
Maureen Fenniak, “Abstract Criticism”, Vue Weekly, Issue 309, September 20.
Gilbert Bouchard, “Festival Reflects Big Changes In Space, Time, Philosophy”, Edmonton Journal, July 2.
Gilbert Bouchard, “Pssst… Want To Get Arty With Me?”, Edmonton Journal, June 30.
Gilbert Bouchard, “Celebrating The Sensuality Of Sculpture”, Edmonton Journal, June 26.
Sculpture – The Works: 2001 (exhibition catalogue), The Works Visual Arts Festival.
1999
Phoebe Dey, “Heavy Metal”, Folio, Volume 37, Number 3, October 1.
Danielle Zyp, “Scrap Metal Or Sculpture?”, Vue Weekly, Issue 206, September 16.