Meet Big Benefactor
Ryan Smithson
Owner/Operator of Ohana A.F. Tiki Bar & Lounge and Saratoga Paint and Sip
After Ryan served in Iraq as an Army engineer, he enrolled at HVCC and started writing about his combat experiences, mostly for therapy.
He eventually published his memoir "Ghosts of War: The True Story of a 19-Year-Old GI" (HarperCollins 2009), which is now read in schools nationwide and was adapted for the stage by Chicago's Griffin Theater.
Bio
After spending a decade in technology sales, he now owns Saratoga Paint & Drip and in addition to throwing paint parties of all kinds, he now teaches Frankenfly Art to people of all ages and abilities using coloring sheets. Service to his country and community remain an important part of Ryan's life.
Wanting to try something new during the pandemic, he created a dancer for his daughter using real butterfly wings from Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory in MA.
He is a member of the Averill Park-Sand Lake Fire Department and serves on the Albany advisory board for Best Buddies, a one-on-one matching program for students and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). When not working at the studio, you can find Ryan playing guitar, training MMA, stretching at the Hot Yoga Spot, or hanging out with his two awesome kids and two fluffy labradoodles.