Lowbrow Art And Artists

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Mark Ryden (b. January 20, 1963 in Medford, Oregon) is an American painter.

Mark Ryden is the son of Barbara and Keith Ryden, born in Medford, Oregon but was raised in Southern California, in cities like Escondido. He has two sisters and two brothers, one a fellow artist named Keyth, (the spelling from Keith was changed in 1969, for reasons relating to numerology and to distinguish himself from his father's first name) who professionally goes by the name KRK Ryden.

Ryden studied Illustration and graduated from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, in 1987. His solo debut show entitled "The Meat Show" was in Pasadena, California in 1998. He currently lives and works in Eagle Rock, California, in a studio that he shares with his partner, artist Marion Peck. He is divorced and has two children Rosie and Jasper.

Ryden's work has gained greater prominence within the public domain thanks to so-called lowbrow art publications such as Juxtapoz in which his work features regularly. In fact Ryden has collaborated with other lowbrow artists such as Gary Baseman and Tim Biskup, in addition to composers Stan Ridgway (Wall of Voodoo) and Pietra Wexstun, ( the CD soundtrack to "Blood - Miniature Paintings of Sorrow and Fear")

In November 2001 Ryden staged his debut New York exhibition with the Earl McGrath Gallery which then traveled on to the Grand Central Art Center in Santa Ana, CA. He received a B.F.A. in 1987 from Art Center in Pasadena, California. He currently resides in Eagle Rock, California.-From the Earl Mcgrath Gallery website.

Category: Image - :Michaeljacksondangerous.jpg|thumb|left|125px|Michael Jackson, Dangerous album cover by Mark Ryden

Ryden has designed album covers for musicians including Michael Jackson, Ringo Starr, Jack Off Jill, Scarling and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and his paintings are in public and private collections. Ryden's work has been exhibited in museums and galleries worldwide, including a recent museum retrospective ?Wondertoonel? at the Frye Museum of Art in Seattle and Pasadena Museum of California Art. Ryden is also a subject of "The Art Army" hand-made action figures by Michael Leavitt.

Ryden's "The Tree Show" exhibit in March 2007 opened to acclaim at the Michael Kohn gallery in Los Angeles -- and featured a selection of oil paintings and sculptures. A separate chamber contained many of Ryden's detailed studies for each of the paintings and exquisitely carved frames and was also made available. The largest of the paintings, "The Tree of Life," sold for $800,000 before the exhibit opened. "SHOOTING LOW, AIMING HIGH The strange trajectory of Mark Ryden LA WEEKLY March 20, 2007

Kirk Hammett of the heavy metal band Metallica recently commissioned Mark Ryden to paint one of his guitars. Hammett is pictured holding the guitar on the cover of "Guitar World's April 2009 issue. Guitar World Excerpt February 4th, 2009

In February 7, 2009 Ryden's exhibition "The Snow Yak Show" was shown at the Tomio Koyama Galleryhttp://www.tomiokoyamagallery.com/index/eng/frame.html in Tokyo.