Ryan Bart has been infusing wonder in audiences large and small for a decade. There is a difference between fooling people and amazing them and Ryan understands this subtle, yet distinct difference. Ryan Bart, will amaze you with both his magic and his passion for Magicians Without Borders.

Biography

Ryan was introduced to magic at the age of 12 by my father’s high school friend, Dr. Steve Taubman who is a professional magician, hypnotist, and motivational speaker.  He was hooked.  At the age of 15, Cary Durgin, a well-known sleight of hand master became his mentor.  At the conclusion of his training with him and through the support of his family and the local community, Ryan began his work as a magician and entertainer. With much practice, persistence, and community support, he rapidly developed a successful  business in Skagit Valley.  He performed for organizations such as: the Anacortes Arts Festival, the Medical Society of Skagit County, the Skagit County Historical Museum, Skagit Valley Hospital’s Festival of Trees, the American Legion, and the Burlington-Edison School District to name a few.  Ryan was also busy performing at corporate and private parties. One thing was and has remained important to him during his growth as a performer and  magician: serving the community that has supported him.

After high school, Ryan chose to attend Gonzaga University to work towards his career goal of becoming a physician.   Because his studies were his number one priority, Ryan decided he would have to approach his magic in a different way. Ryan combined his abilities as a magician and his desire to become a physician by volunteering at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital in Spokane.  He started the first semester of his freshmen year and continued with it until the day he graduated.  This was like a second beginning to his work as a magician. There, Ryan learned about the healing power of magic.   Often, he had parents pull him aside and tell him that his magic made their child smile or laugh for the first time in days or even weeks. Through his semester long study abroad in El Salvador, his two trips to East Los Angeles to visit Fr. Greg Boyle and Homeboy Industries,  his four years volunteering at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital, and his studies as a Psychology major, Ryan learned about hope.  We all need it.  Based on his experiences, he believe that spiritual poverty (lack of hope) is far worse than any sort of monetary or material poverty.  Magic can change that.  Often, it is not about the facts of our reality, but rather, how we perceive and approach our reality. Upon his graduation from Gonzaga, Ryan received a Fulbright Grant to live, learn, and teach in Bogotá, Colombia.  As a part of the grant, he taught English at a university in Bogotá. Ryan was also required to work on an independent project of his choosing.