Submitted by Heather Elia
The New Woodstock Free Library will be exhibiting collaborative collage paintings and mixed media pieces by Cazenovia-based artists Jim Ridlon and Alyson Markell from Tuesday, Dec. 1, through Saturday, Jan. 30, in the library’s exhibit space. The title of the show is “Equine Expressions” and features a variety of works capturing the distinct movements and physical characteristics of horses.
Collage painting is a technique developed by Ridlon in the 1980s that begins with hand painted sheets of paper that are torn into small pieces then collaged onto canvas. The mixed-media pieces begin with a digital image, which Markell manipulates, and together, the artists translate it into a mixed-media work. Ridlon and Markell have merged their distinct skills and forms of expression to produce unique collaborative works.
“It’s been rewarding to merge new technology with my form of expression,” Ridlon says.
Ridlon is an internationally recognized artist who has exhibited around the world. He has works in the collections of the Everson Museum of Art, Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University, the Munson Williams Proctor Art Institute and scores of others. He was named the Sport Artist of the Year by the National Sports Academy in 1989 and has completed commissions for the Walt Disney Corporation, ABC Wide World of Sports and ABC’s Monday Night Football.
Markell spent 10 years using her creative and artistic talents at Industrial Light & Magic, a division of Lucas Digital in San Francisco, Calif., where she created animal and human characters for dozens of blockbuster movies. Trained as a traditional sculptor, painter and modeler, Markell has earned a reputation for capturing the likeness of animals and fanciful creatures on film and in fine art.
“I’ve enjoyed taking imagery near and dear to my heart and interpreting it with Jim through his distinct approach to painting,” Markell said.
All works are for sale, and a percentage of the proceeds will benefit the New Woodstock Free Library.