We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ryan Van Smart. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ryan Van below.
Ryan Van, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
I didn’t so much find my purpose as I came to realize it had been with me all along—woven into my family’s story, my way of seeing the world, and how I interact with it. My grandfather, Rex, was a hand-painter and builder who transformed ideas into physical form for Tulsa businesses and city projects. I spent time in his shop as a kid, watching him create worlds from scratch. That left a permanent mark on me.
Growing up color-blind and dyslexic might have seemed like a disadvantage on paper, but it forced me to engage with my surroundings in a different way. I’ve always had to rely more on light, shape, and form to understand the world—and that lens naturally translated into photography, sculpture, fabrication, and large-scale creative production.
My purpose clicked into place when I realized I could combine the way I see with the way I build. Whether I’m helping someone bring a new invention to life, designing a set for a theater, or crafting an immersive event experience—my purpose is to create things that didn’t exist before and couldn’t exist without that unique perspective.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m the founder of Splinter Block, a creative production company based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but with reach far beyond it. Splinter Block is hard to define by a single discipline—on any given week, we’re building oversized foam props for a theater, welding a sculptural installation, creating an immersive event environment, or helping a startup take a product from napkin sketch to working prototype. The through-line is that everything we do starts with a wild idea—and ends with something real you can touch, stand in, interact with, or be immersed by.
What makes it exciting is that no two days are alike. I get to blend engineering, storytelling, photography, sculpture, and old-fashioned problem solving into everything we create. I grew up with a color-blind lens and a dyslexic brain—so I literally see and think differently. That’s helped me turn limitations into creative advantages.
Beyond Splinter Block, I also run a commercial photography business (Negative Space Photography) and a creative photo studio called Viewfinder Studios, which is available to other photographers and creators. Most of my clients are from major creative hubs like New York, L.A., Atlanta, and Austin—but I keep my headquarters at WOMPA, Tulsa’s 4-acre creative community. It’s the perfect place to build big and think big.
As for what’s new—we’re expanding Splinter Block’s capabilities this year to offer more large-scale fabrication services and are currently in development on several custom pieces for Route 66 mural projects and a few upcoming immersive event experiences. We’re also taking on more patent prototyping projects, helping inventors turn their concepts into actual products with technical plans and working models.
At the end of the day, I love building things that have never existed before. If you can dream it, we’ll find a way to make it real.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Three Most Important Qualities, Skills and/or Areas of Knowledge
1. Creative Adaptability
Being color-blind and dyslexic forced me to process information differently—but it also trained me to solve problems creatively and quickly. I learned to lean into that adaptability, whether I was figuring out how to light a photo shoot in a cramped location or engineering a way to make a giant foam sculpture structurally sound. My advice: Don’t try to “fix” the way you’re wired—work with it. Embrace your differences. They might just be your biggest creative edge.
2. Hands-On Skill-Building
I didn’t just study photography or design—I built things, broke things, welded metal, carved foam, studied mechanical systems, and learned how to use every tool I could get my hands on. That practical, hands-on experience gave me the confidence to take on jobs outside my original training. For anyone early in their journey: Get your hands dirty. Learn by doing. Theoretical knowledge is important, but real-world problem-solving will take you further.
3. Client Communication & Translation
One of the most underrated skills is learning how to take someone’s vague, big-picture idea and turn it into a clear, executable plan. Whether I’m working with a brand, a theater company, or an inventor, I’ve had to become fluent in “idea translation.” If you can become the person who helps others bring their vision to life—even when they don’t know how to articulate it—you’ll always be in demand.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
My ideal client is someone with a bold idea and an open mind—someone who knows what they want to feel or experience but doesn’t yet know how to build it. Whether they’re a brand manager, an artist, a theater director, or an inventor, the best projects come from people who are passionate, collaborative, and unafraid to color outside the lines.
I love working with clients who say, “I don’t know if this is even possible…” That’s usually where the magic starts. The more unconventional, imaginative, or ambitious the idea, the more excited I am to figure it out. I work best with people who are willing to explore creative solutions, trust the process, and value craftsmanship.
At Splinter Block, we’re not just fabricators—we’re partners in making something original and unforgettable. If you’re dreaming big, we’re probably a good fit.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.Splinter-Block.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/photobysmart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Smartyspacemonkeypants
- Other: www.negativespacephotog.com (photography site)
Image Credits
None applicable.
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
