well said

Thanks!

Sorry Bill we at America's Bad Kids disagree, Mark Ryden IS God. Only Gods get their work tattooed on emo girls on the hit television program Miami Ink.

Well put! Although I love Ryden, you have some great points.

How to create your own stimulus package in your own community = BUY LOCAL.

This includes art. Don't buy some poster or book printed overseas.

Spread your wealth within your community. Look for people inspired by the mainstream artists you know, you can find new, local artists with styles that compliment your tastes...

They are all over myspace, facebook and etsy...just to name a few. Visit cool/free art opening at local galleries afterwork...they usually have free wine and chips!

it occurs to me that folks might not know how to buy art from actual artists

Well put! The art scene hipster worshipers do have a tendency to drink the cool aid too much.

And good point about Shag.

Who are you to dictate how people should process artwork much less tell them what to buy? This pretentious bullshit about 'dangerous' art being legit for the fact that it's 'dangerous' is absurd. I'm all for supporting young artists but shitting on successful artists to make your point is juvenile and short-sighted. Seriously dude, grow up.

Whenever someone swears at me and angrily tells me to grow up, I immediately see their point of view. Thank got Lawrence Snelly posted or I might have had to think for myself.

Exactly the response I expect from a thinned-skin goth whiner. Best of luck selling skeleton art to Burbank suburbanites. Now that's living on the fucking edge!

Lawrencesnelly…
You asked me, “Who are you to dictate how people should process artwork much less tell them what to buy?” Well, I am an art gallery owner…that’s pretty much how I make my living here.

Go in to any gallery in LA (La Luz De Jesus, Copro/Nason, Karnowski, Thinkspace, Meltdown) and they will tell you what art is good and what you should buy. The main difference is that I am not latching on to the same ten established artists for credibility. I’m showing artists I truly believe in and I’m trying to encourage and support them in a city where the existing gallery system ignores them. I’m also catering to a segment of the art buying populace that is completely alienated by that same gallery system.

When I talk about “dangerous” art, I’m talking art that grabs you by the balls and pokes two in your stinkhole, man…art that is exciting for the pure sake of the art and not for technical art school mastery (although proficiency is not a bad thing). It’s like buying your first Pixies album when everyone around you is cranking Dave Matthews. LA is caught up in this commercial art mentality and it seriously bores the hell out of me. I’ll take Daniel Johnston over Gary Baseman any day. That’s just my opinion, pure and simple.

I never claimed I was above being juvenile to make a point and, for the record, I’m also not politically correct, gender sensitive, or racially aware. Just because an artist is successful doesn’t mean they are exempt from ridicule. I would love to hear you or anyone talk about the work of Jeff Koons or Thomas Kinkade without using the phrase “fetid art abortion.” Also, I’m confident that my shit slinging hasn’t affected the bottom line of either Shag or Ryden one bit…but to make sure you should run out and buy the new Disney/Shag coaster set & pencil holder combo (That’ll learn me, but good!). It’s fun and refreshing to find a sacred cow set upon a pedestal and give it a little shove from time to time, it relieves stress.

If you mistake my passion for pretentiousness, I don’t care. If you feel slighted because you bought a $1000 Ryden print and my flippant attitude towards it now hinders your enjoyment of the image, I don’t even know how to address that in real life. My whole point of the blog was basically this: “an artist like Mark Ryden does not need your support” and you shouldn’t like something only because everyone you know likes it. “Decide your own tastes and strive for more, damn it.”

If I was irreverent to your Gods, I apologize…but I happen to be a devout atheist and I’ll probably end up doing that a lot.

Amen.
-b

I used to drool over his work in Justapose. I've long since abandoned both him and his prophets!

Hey man, you forgot that amazing artist, Peter Mihaichuk, too! That guy rocks... and is soooo modest!

I can see your passion for the more underground styles of art. But you do have to realize, that if many of the artists that you show gained interest from one of the bigger galleries in LA they would ditch your gallery without blinking. If they say otherwise theyre lying.

While I like the art your gallery shows, few if any of it is fit to hit the bigger galleries. But thats ok, your gallery fills a niche and thats needed as well. Bu t it makes no sense to go negative about artists that fill another niche. Im sure if the opportunity presented your gallery would not pass up selling a run of Ryden prints exclusively. The commission would even pay for a gold-crusted litterbox.

I respectfully disagree with you Tinkles. I don't think any self-respecting artist would "ditch" Hyaena for a bigger gallery in LA. First of all, "bigger" is a completely subjective term, especially in LA. If your art is good enough to sell and people want it, it's going to sell regardless of the size, visibility or location of the venue. Also, I believe many of the artists at Hyaena would be loyal to a guy like Bill for the simple fact that he took a chance on their art while others turned up their noses. And imagining a situation where a golden opportunity would present itself IF a man compromised his integrity is as fanciful as playing a game of "What would YOU do for a million dollars."


Great art has never been safe, and I think it's certainly refreshing for someone to lose the "hooray for anything popular" mentality, place their nuts on table and simply call a spade, a spade.


I also appreciate the fact that a fellow human being has this forum to express their opinions about their passions, however unpopular they may be.

Jsyn:

"And imagining a situation where a golden opportunity would present itself IF a man compromised his integrity is as fanciful as playing a game of "What would YOU do for a million dollars."

Uh, that happens in the music industry all the time. And has happened in the art industry many times as well. Anytime something has money involved, sketchy things will happen.

You know, I hope all the artists Hyeana shows are that loyal, but if they all are I can say with knowledge that it would be very rare.

I'm also gald he has the ability to speak his mind here, as we all do. It just always make me laugh when I hear people get pissed at those who have attained a high level of exposure, by the way I hate Mark Ryden's work, but if it was Clint Carney that got that big and repetitive this post would be called "Clint Carney is not a god". So its not Mark Ryden, its success. OVerblown, money making sell-out success.

Dear Tinkles
As a Hyaena artist I can assure you I have no interest in dropping one of my best friends for a bigger gallery. With Hyaena - I can show there and 3 other spaces this month. With a "bigger" gallery contract I am only allowed 1 show a year. With Hyaena the commission is 30something. With a "bigger" gallery it's 50-60%. With Hyaena I can do what I want, experiment with whatever I can imagine, and it's embraced. With a "bigger" gallery I'm micromanaged.

I've sold over 1,000 pieces of art and have had upteen shows without the help of "bigger" galleries - What am I missing? I'm not pretty woman waiting for a big white limosine to save me from my whoring ways.

On the subject of being not fit - the same was said about Basquiat. I believe in all the artists in Hyaena past and present. They all have strong talent and identities and have made solid names for themselves.

After all art should be about voice, expression, emotion and not about careering.

Just because you've seen it in music doesn't mean everyone fits in the generalization.

Dear Tinkles...

As a "trained artist" with pieces in a few museum collections around the world (way more prestigious than any gallery,) I have to disagree with your statement about dropping Bill and Hyaena when something bigger comes along....

You're forgetting the sheer excitement of being able to show work next to great names like John Wayne Gacy...No one can put a pricetag on that.

30% commission and actual PR footwork with posters and postcards and ads...and a real live sales person who actually knows the artists rather than a script...

I've worked in big name galleries...I've managed tiny art spaces. They both make a lot of money. One lets you keep more of it...think of it as a popularity tax.

BTW, I'M NOT THE PHONY, YOU'RE THE PHONY.

The guy in the photo looks fairly mean to me. I wouldn't want to piss him off!

This whole thread is exactly what we as art consumers need.
I hope to (soon) raise the same questions within the horror film community.
The latest rash of horror dreck that comes though the pipeline has been vastly shifting from art, to business.

I do understand that with fine art and film, both have commercial aspects that are valuable. For fine art, what a museum or a gallery has for sale is arguably no different than what is sold at a local arts and craft fair. The difference is prestige and perceived value. When I go to Hyaena, I know that the curator has passionately made a decision about what is appropriate to be displayed on his walls. 90% of what a craft fair offers is NOT for my personal sensibilities, yet Hyaena is about 90% to my exact tastes.

My home is adorned with over dozen original art pieces that were purchased from Hyaena. The most amazing thing that Hyaena has done for my life has been to make art available and accessible to me, NO OTHER GALLERY has done this. I certainly enjoy going to La Luz and seeing the interesting stuff they have, and would love to be the proud owner of an original Liz McGrath or similar, yet at $1000 -$20,000+ pricetags, I am just a window shopper. It doesn’t mean that the art is not worth that much, it just happens to be out of my price range. If I were a collector who intended to resell the art, then again it comes back to the business aspect, and changes the intention of the art.

I use art to inspire me, to move me in new creative directions, not too impress my friends with my “wonderful tastes”. Fuck what others “think” about my favorite art…it’s not for them, it’s for ME. The perceived value of artwork in my home is what inspires me to push my own creativity NOT to impress anyone else. For me, my Haunted Mansion prints from DW Frydendall are a million times more valuable than an original Ryden or Shag, because Frydendall’s work continues to amaze and inspire me!

Regardless of who likes what art…Hyaena has done an important and crucial thing to the Los Angeles Art Community. Its given some LA some new diversity. And started an all important dialog about what art is valid and valuable (proof is here in this thread).

The most exciting thing about Hyaena is it’s unapologetic attitude toward ART.

Amen indeed
SD

BIG WORD ALERT! Are you ready? It's called "Fetishization of Value." The equation looks like this Collectors /= Art Lovers. Any asshole willing to buy a a Koons/Hirst/Ryden/Insert Name of Next Banal Bad Boy Here for the price at which they sell could care less about what's actually on the canvas. Once a threshold of price has been reached these aesthetic midgets are paying for the NAME and jerking in a circle to see who's got the biggest wad and who can get it off fastest. The VALUE of the work is no longer the work itself, merely the name attached to it and how much it was bought for. It's become a fetish object, bragging rights, pissing contest, or the worst phrase possible, "part of an investment portfolio." No one's blaming the artist. Who doesn't want an artist to succeed and be able to make a living doing what the feel they need or want to do. Bill isn't dumping on Ryden, he's pointing out that those who buy that dreck aren't buying it because when they walked into the room and saw it their heart skipped a beat, or they swooned, or had to sit down, or obsessively thought about the piece day in and day out until they could seek it out again, as pieces I've seen have done to me. They bought it because someone else fetishized it, ripped the value from the work, and turned it into a commodity whose worth lies only in its provenance of owners who are so culturally retarded they've never picked up a brush or a chisel or a pipe wrench and propane valve. This fetishization of value and celebrity artist system centralizes and bleeds available cash from the market in general, leaving 99% of the artists to suffer in obscurity if they are unable or unwilling to participate in this pornography of price. Hyaena is probably one of the most important gallery spaces on the West Coast in it's form and function. You want something your pastor will think is nice and no one will ever question? Go to the mall and buy a Kinkade, Painter of Light™. You want something you can wave at the other investment bankers and dentists? Something with a whiff of danger like that Harley you keep in the garage? Sure, troll the Lowbrow/Pop Surrealist scene and pillage your artwork Viagra. Me, I want art that hurts, that bleeds, that sings. I want Hyaena.

Mark Ryden is Not the Devil
But I dare say that John Wayne Gacy is - or the closest thing to the devil in this world. Meanwhile, Mark Ryden is simply a highly accomplished artist - it's not an exaggeration to call his work masterful - whose work is rightfully sought after. One can rail against the world that rewards some disproportionately over others, but that's just the way of... the laws of economics, or the zeitgeist, or pop sensibilities or the "hundreth monkey" deciding to buy a Ryden and pushing the tipping point in his favor. But I know one thing, Ryden has worked a hell of a lot harder than 95% of the artists at the Hyaena Gallery to perfect his craft and create his art. Does it suck that Ryden's art is now in the category of "investments" to some? Maybe, but a decade ago he was doing the same art as he is now, and people who were excited by his art were buying it (at much lower prices) because they appreciated it. Did it suck that in Mozart's day the majority of the population never heard a concerto, while only the wealthy could? Definitely. Is it fair that Elvis became an idol and Gene Pitney didn't? Should I stop listening to Elvis because his estate doesn't need the support? Is Van Gogh's art "better" than that of Bouguereau because he suffered and died in poverty or because today George Dubya knows who Van Gogh is? I think not. Both are amazing, and each had unique lives.
So let me say this: looking at an actual Van Gogh in a gallery brings tears to my eyes; seeing an actual Bouguereau takes my breath away; viewing an actual Ryden fascinates me, and attending a show at Hyaena makes me smile. But a Ryden painting is collectible because its creator is an extraordinarily brilliant artist who made a name for himself by creating beautiful art. A John Wayne Gacy painting is collectible in spite of the fact that its creator was an exceedingly mediocre artist who made a name for himself by being the scum of the earth. I know what I would choose to own, regardless of price.
Mark Ryden, Lori Earley, Amy Bennett, you rock! Spinestealer, Spooky Dan, Evil Paul, One Goat, Queenie, Crab Scrambly, Gris Grimley, you rock too! May you all be praised and live well and reap as much reward as your talent and hard work earn for you. And whether anyone owns a Ryden or a Rembrandt, in a frame on the wall or in a picturebook, I hope they appreciate the fuck out of it, because it's magical.
Here ends my rambling rant.

Temple Terkildsen:
First of all did I eve call anyone a phony? Just as I have no clue who you are, you have no idea of who I am. The anonymity of the internet allows this for us all. I could be a gallery owner, college art professor, artist or so on. I didn't find this blog by accident.

Re-read what I have written. I am not bashing the artists or gallery here. I am simply stating facts. Hyaena fills a niche, just like La Luz does (albiet a larger/ more expensive niche). And as I stated before I hope the Hyaena artists are loyal, and it would still be rare if they are. There are many facets of the art world, and yes some of them make me sick. The idea that Ryden can sell a "poster" print for 500$ and they sell out in minutes makes me throw up, but its happening. And I'm glad it is, that sickness is what pushes people to look at other artists.

The fact is, many of the artists at Hyaena or in the lowbrow scene will ever hit that upper echelon of galleries and museums, even if you or I feel they should. Will Ryden be talked about in Art History books in the future? He is already being written into them. So hate him or love him, he has hit what I know many artist would love to hit.

I didn't come here to argue back and forth, obviously there is loyalty for Hyaena and I think thats great. I wish there were more support for some galleries. But no one can deny that in the mind of every artist a tiny piece or bigger piece of all them would have a hard time passing up the success Ryden has achieved.

I do dig Mark Ryden's work. I can't afford it, but yes, I wish I could, and I would kill to sell my art for 1/100th of what he sells his for. Now that that is out of the way...

For the record - and please feel free to quote me on this in the unlikely event that my art will ever be worth enough to earn me more than sweat shop rates for the hours I put into it - I will never "ditch" Hyaena "without blinking." Bill Shafer is the first person to ever take a chance on my artwork and make me feel that perhaps it does have value to someone else other than myself. Without Bill, no one, other than my closest friends, would have ever seen my artwork. That may not mean fuck-all to anyone who reads this, but it means a hell of a lot to me. And if my head ever does get too big, or I if I do start rehashing the same shit in my artwork over and over again, I know I could count on Bill to give me a much needed kick in the ass.

I don't think it would be an exageration to say that well over half of the artists at Hyaena feel the same way that I do. Sorry, but I do take offense to some stranger saying that we would ditch Bill for the almighty dollar the moment a bigger gallery shows interest, and that if we 'say otherwise, we're lying.'

End of rant. Back to painting now.

Once again I am happy for all the artists that say they will stay with the gallery regardless of what fame they get.

We will never really know if any artists would bail anyway, it would have to happen. The problem with seeing if any artists here would bail if given a Ryden opportunity is like comparing apples to oranges. One of the things that has been left out is that Ryden can paint, really really good. I get the whole anti-classical thing that is going on, "outsider" or whatever the hell people want to call it. But the fact is, there are few artists that of Ryden's caliber. Not stuck with painting nothing but portraits, or repeating the same formula and layout over and over. He can paint whatever he wants, and has the skill to do so. Will he? No he won't, he has to please his fans.

So yes, many of the artists that show at this gallery will be faithful but "could
also be, because they won't ever have the ability to get the bigger opportunities.

Tinkles...phony is hiding behind some psudonym on the internet and talking about who you MIGHT be in the real world.

To Tinkles: No one is attacking Mark Ryden's talent and skill. As I already stated, I dig his work. I also don't claim to be half as talented as he is. However, I do think that if you actually check out Hyaena Gallery, you will be pleasantly surprised by the quality of the artwork. True, there is some "Outsider" art in the gallery which may not appeal to you, but there are also some amazing artists with more of a "classical" approach to painting. There's an opening reception this Friday night. Come by and check it out. If you still feel the same way about it after that I would be very surprised.

I think Hyaena "gallery" is a cancer. You all are filthy, disgusting and eye-sores! I think the art world would be vastly improved with the sudden death of your artists. I didn't serve my country for this!

Ah, the American Dream is alive and well in Burbank complete with Freedom of Speech where we can all tell each other to righteously fuck off. Awesome!

Clint:

Oh, there are some artists I like from Hyaena. Like I stated before I didn't find this blog by accident, as "Proudammerican962" clearly has.

I enjoy the work of Dienzo, Dan harding, Daniel Johnston, Gris grimly and more. I think what I was trying to say might not have come off well. But that could be my lack of communicating well when tone inflection and missing human presence is at work.

I feel more comfortable at galleries like Hyaena. I was simply stating that every gallery and artist fills a niche, some last long some fade away. This happens when any underground movement grows. Mark Ryden as the original post talked about was "Dangerous". Well the scene exploded and artists were divided so the speak. Those that will hit the mainstream and those that will stay in the underground. I just don't think it necessary to get frustrated with those that hit the mainstream. They are a necessary component that makes the underground desirable to many people.

This is a fabulous conversation and almost everyone is making some incredible points - not that my opinion matters much since I'm just a "thinned-skin goth" (??).

p.s. I wonder exactly what the 'proud american' DID serve his country for? If not the right to be free and speak our minds without fear, then what? Torture? Lies? Bankruptcy?

Gothspace'r –
I wanted to write a review on this topic as being a Ryden collector who has a large collection including an original, but a collector and a artist who collects because they are genuinely masterful not because everyone else is into it, thus why I collect works by Delphia, Chuck Hodi, etc. as as well as Marion Peck and others. I wanted to touch on your post more so first… and then later on ill come back to the others.

“But I dare say that John Wayne Gacy is - or the closest thing to the devil in this world. Meanwhile, Mark Ryden is simply a highly accomplished artist - it's not an exaggeration to call his work masterful - whose work is rightfully sought after. “
Two VERY different things, one is a criminal whose paitings are famous because of that, BUT also is just as good as a painter, but certainly not as good as mark but just as famous,
lets compare two of the same artists then… Chris Peters and Mark Ryden, both are highly accomplished artists, and who are just as masterful, and guess what one is sought after because he is the Thomas kincade of the lowbrow world in other words a better business man, his success has little to do with his talent when you really look at it.

“ One can rail against the world that rewards some disproportionately over others, but that's just the way of... the laws of economics, or the zeitgeist, or pop sensibilities or the "hundreth monkey"
AGAIN… You do know that the reason hes doing well is the fact that hes a better business man more so than being a better artist right? How so? Ask he says it himself when asked about his brother, he says “ I am just a better business man, KRK is a true bohemian artist” – Mark Ryden High fructose magazine.

furthermore please don’t bring anything up about the frames he employs, those are done by people in Thailand that’s right OTHER ARTISTS omg!! Who have been doing that for centuries and been paid pennies until mark discovered them. Even now they aren’t being paid as much as you think. More on that later

“But I know one thing, Ryden has worked a hell of a lot harder than 95% of the artists at the Hyaena Gallery to perfect his craft and create his art.”
Wow.. just seriously the level of ignorance in that statement is so mind blowing I thought for a moment I was reading a quote by Pat Robertson.
You have never seen work by Delphia, Peter Adamyan, Chris Peters, Christopher Ulrich, Cam Rackam, Tom Denny, Creep, Big Tasty, Dan Harding, Krys Sapp have you? Simply stating that Mark has worked a hell of a lot harder than 95% of the artists to perfect is art and create his craft is pretty much doing the same thing as spitting in those artists face and spitting in the face of Mark as well, because I personally know that he would look at you like what the fuck are you talking about because Delphia, one who works their ass off and puts their heart and soul into their pieces, exactly like Mark. It is also spitting in the face of his brother KRK Ryden who happens to be as he calls him, a true bohemian artist and the inspiration for making him want to paint ! huh how odd, those 95% of artists at hayena, are those types of artists, that Mark highly respects that are classically trained and have spent YEARS perfecting their craft, when people would spit in at their work and call it dark simply because it wasn’t splattering paint around. Much like how the impressionists of the latter era were sneered at. And as an artist myself I can tell you for a fucking FACT that their work especially Delphia’s takes a lot of hard work to perfect than Mark’s
Mark works in oil on canvas or panel, Delphia whose amazing photorealistic trump’olie style is acrylic on panel! Doing that level of detail with acrylic is about the same as doing it with watercolor, it’s a pain in the ass and
More?...

The Creep, are you saying that line work like his is easy?! Even Mark cannot do that, fuck even shag cannot! And the fact its fucking acryic on canvas with no painting aids should tell you how fucking hard he works on his work to make it that amazing!!

Peter Adamyan’s does amazing watercolor paintings along with his oil paintings.. do you have any idea how hard it is to get the level of detail he does with watercolor?! Watercolor is a VERY un-forgiving medium! Even mark himself doesn’t do that!
“Does it suck that Ryden's art is now in the category of "investments" to some? Maybe, but a decade ago he was doing the same art as he is now, and people who were excited by his art were buying it (at much lower prices) because they appreciated it. Did it suck that in Mozart's day the majority of the population never heard a concerto, while only the wealthy could? Definitely. Is it fair that Elvis became an idol and Gene Pitney didn't? Should I stop listening to Elvis because his estate doesn't need the support?”
No but you should also support those that are similar to Mark or if you like art that is that amazing in general and if you open your eyes you can find that at Hayena in fact severl of those amazing artists are here talking to you.

“Is Van Gogh's art "better" than that of Bouguereau because he suffered and died in poverty or because today George Dubya knows who Van Gogh is? I think not. Both are amazing, and each had unique lives.”
Actually Borgerou lived a pretty normal life. He never publicized it as much and kept his life private.
“
So let me say this: looking at an actual Van Gogh in a gallery brings tears to my eyes; seeing an actual Bouguereau takes my breath away;
so your saying that an actual Delphia will not, even though she is trained in the same manner as he is And so is Chris Peters? Wow… just just wow.
You know Mark’s idea that he he wanted to do was to bring back people to painting to rediscover people who worked hard on their paintings, successful or not, to make people discover people like Delphia, Clint Carney, Ana Bagayan, Peter Adamyan, Robert Williams, Ingres, Borgerou, Duer, in other words to educate not to worship.

“But a Ryden painting is collectible because its creator is an extraordinarily brilliant artist who made a name for himself by creating beautiful art. “
That is no different from the art of several of the artists at hayena or even artists that are not famous but are struggling non-stop, go to wetcanvas.com to see for yourself. Furthermore there are artists out there who create beautufiul art who didn’t really make a name for themselves until they died such as Vermeer, hell even Borgerou, he was shunned and criticized for being too real, and for making a living.

“A John Wayne Gacy painting is collectible in spite of the fact that its creator was an exceedingly mediocre artist who made a name for himself by being the scum of the earth. I know what I would choose to own, regardless of price. 
”
Yet theres one problem, the gacy piece is not art, it is more of a memoribilla piece/pop culture piece.
“Mark Ryden, Lori Earley, Amy Bennett, you rock! Spinestealer, Spooky Dan, Evil Paul, One Goat, Queenie, Crab Scrambly, Gris Grimley, you rock too! May you all be praised and live well and reap as much reward as your talent and hard work earn for you. And whether anyone owns a Ryden or a Rembrandt, in a frame on the wall or in a picturebook, I hope they appreciate the fuck out of it, because it's magical.
Here ends my rambling rant.”

I own a marion peck btw, its not as MAGICAL but guess what I own it cause it’s a marion peck and because I love the style and the fact it’s a marion peck, I also own a ryden drawing.. is it magical? No. its in the same league as owning a gacy… but I own it because it’s a ryden and because I truly enjoy his artwork, but it is out shown by my Chuck hodi, krys sapp, Ana Bagayan and more. I appreciate the artwork I have because I love the artists and I own severa pieces that would definitely outshine not only the Ryden I own but the painting of his I will definitely own in the future, but that will be way after I finally get my hands on a Creep, another krys sapp, and shit loads more from Hayena.

Thank you Tinkle, I feel that I've learned more about my favorite Hyaena artists through this blog and more about the ignorance they have to contend to with anonymous armchair critics like yourself. The fact that you missed Temple Terkildsen's reference to the film Pollock http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0183659/, your fanaticism for skill over style, your bullheadedness, your anonymity; I really can't believe you have any credibility above a 12yr old child who believes Picard is better than Kirk. I do believe you're smarter than ProudAmerican though.

But what do I know, I'm just a collector. I just buy art I like. And I buy a lot of it from Hyaena.

p.s. you can buy an original Hannah Montana print at walmart for $5.95

I'm more than happy to be the Ed Wood of the art world. I'm an artistic anarchist. I get off on being an eye-sore, breaking rules, coloring outside the lines, jumping from childlike paintings to realism, because it means I'm doing something someone else isn't. Bill saw my potential and swooped me up. None of the artists at Hyaena are stagnating in some forcefed limbo - they're making names for themselves and better than that they're threatening every artist out there still dry-humping the 80's gallery model. I think what people fail to realize is that there's far more blue-collar collectors than the handful of rich gents and gals who aren't interested in our kind of art anyways. I mean I honestly can't see any of our work in an office building next to the water cooler and I really think that's what Bill's blog is about. It says eccentric art for odd tastes at a price you can afford. Make art available and accessible to everyone.

Nic, I have your art in my office heh

Tinkles-
“One of the things that has been left out is that Ryden can paint, really really good. I get the whole anti-classical thing that is going on, "outsider" or whatever the hell people want to call it. But the fact is, there are few artists that of Ryden's caliber. Not stuck with painting nothing but portraits, or repeating the same formula and layout over and over. “
again I say this, morons like you are the ones who give Ryden a bad name and make people like Bill want to write articles like this. If you think that there are few artists that are of Mark’s caliber, your blinder than a bloody bat! Because if you opened them, youd find HUNDREDS of artists that are BEYOND Ryden’s caliber, that don’t get the same credit due to their art doesn’t fit within a certain mold or they have not whored themselves out to illustrative companies ie like Mark Ryden did btw… anti-classical? More like anit-rydenite, there are several artists at Hayena that are classically trained and not as well known thanks to morons like you. One of them is Delphia the other is Peter Adamyan, Chris Peters, and more.

Oh and umm FEW artist…. Ever hear of Ana Bagayan? She does not repeat the same formula and lay out over and over again.. like Ryden does. But im sure you noticed that now didn’t you?

“He can paint whatever he wants, and has the skill to do so. Will he? No he won't, he has to please his fans.”
Strange how even he states that he cannot come close to his own contemporary, Borgerou or even paint as amazingly as he can, thus saying a lot about the fans themselves, and really dipping away from his credibitly. Its morons like you aka Rydenites that give Mark a bad name. please end your life. And also he does paint whatever he wants, hes not doing it for the FANS aka rydenites hes doing what HE likes.
“So yes, many of the artists that show at this gallery will be faithful but "could
also be, because they won't ever have the ability to get the bigger opportunities.”

No its because again, they do not want to stick to one genre and are true artists, they have more ability than you have in your tinkle. But their time is coming soon and I know that for a fact, sorry your missing out on obtaining your next Ryden there buddy.

And Bill nails it again.

My husband also has some of Nik's (and C!nder's and my) work in his office and he's a director at a Fortune 500 company AND he's gotten "in trouble" for it.

From Bill: "I’m showing artists I truly believe in and I’m trying to encourage and support them"
And that's exactly what has not been done by many in the industry for a very long time. imho, far too often the artists become successful due only to the people they know, not the art they produce.

proudamerican962: Actually, you did server your country for this.

John and Krissi:
My bad, one love, one goat, yo!

However nicolas is a mean mean man for selling that HI BITCh painting of his way too soon :P please make another one Nik i need one for my door!

cheers
-D

Will do Damian :>

Damian Crowley & John Thumbs:

I will state again, since you both have overlooked this over and over. I DO NOT LIKE MARK RYDEN'S WORK. I do not own any, if a painting was given to me I would sell it to buy art I actually enjoy. But I do have the ability to objectively look at his skill, and amazing marketing abilities.

Tom Thumbs, my apologies for missing Temple Terkildsen's reference. I guess this means I know nothing about art now.

One thing to notice, is that I have called no one here a moron, idiot or likewise. But I have been called this many times here. Sounds to me like this is a "believe what we believe or your stupid" mentality. Is that not what the upper class galleries stick to? Why do the same. And if this art is so dangerous, does what it wants and says what it wants with no one to answer to. Why get mad at me for basically doing to same but verbally. I say what I want, not worrying about the repercussions and have not made myself a cheerleader. Isn't that what the whole point was to begin with? To not be a follower, to be against the grain? To not bow down and eat what is fed to us because the herd says to?

I think it is, but as seen here, not when someone questions the style of art that YOU ALL love so much.

By the way, Chris Peters is a phenomenal painter.

Tinkles:
"While I like the art your gallery shows, few if any of it is fit to hit the bigger galleries." and "So yes, many of the artists that show at this gallery will be faithful but "could
also be, because they won't ever have the ability to get the bigger opportunities. ", you're right, you didn't call any of these artists a moron, just unfit and opportunistically handicapped. Yet you like Daniel Johnston, who Evil Paul, Eric Pigors, Big Tasty, D.W., are all better technical illustrators. So I have to ask what do Daniel Johnston and Ryden have in common? They're famous. Real big famous. The Hyaena artists with all the books they've made, small studios like Disney that they work for, TV appearances, clothing lines, dolls, toys, Jeremy Cross' art core, etc etc are just not famous enough for your starfucking. I get it. And it's ok. You like famous people. There's nothing wrong with that. I like famous people too. But no one works harder than the underdog. Ryden can make one painting a year while these sorry abortions have to make a thousand times that to be taken seriously by you, an invisible expert. I think it's one thing to walk in to Hyaena to windowshop and another to REALLY get to know the artists. It helps your arguement more when you have an education to pull from. Kepi is a rock star, Skip Crank works on million dollar movies, Evil Paul is an icon, and Temple is an art teacher. You may not share my passion for what Hyaena is doing but perhaps learn more about them.

And I like Chris Peters too.

John Thumbs:

Im not sure what I have to say , over and over to let you all know I dont like Mark Ryden or famous people. I could give two shits. I was simply making observations about the art scene. Here let me reiterate what I was trying to say:

Look at Ryden's Exhibition list:
http://www.markryden.com/biography/index.html
Few to none of the artists at this gallery, or others for that matter will show in some of the same galleries Ryden has. Is that bad, who cares. He's hit the upper level of art buyers, like so many of the past has. THATS ALL I STATED. Every artist has a niche, Ryden has, his Hyaena Gallery artists have theirs.
My point was that its stupid to get mad at Ryden for what he as achieved, in the long run it helps out the underdogs.

Lastly, it's very clear the people in this forum have a bias for the gallery here. On that note, nothing I say will sink in. So theres no point to keep going. Your mad at all the cheerleaders Ryden has, yet you are all cheerleaders for yours. "Believe in what we believe or your dumb", is exactly what Ryden's fans do, and exactly what your doing. I am not on either side, Ryden or yours, i'm trying to be objective, not wholeheartedly believe in either side.

So i'm glad you are all faithful, I hope the gallery does well. Thanks for the debate, next time try to see the hypocrisy you might be involved in. In other words, don't whine and complain about Ryden or any artist for that matter, and their cheerleaders. When you yourselves are being cheerleaders.

Bill's pissed! haha. i love it

Saw this thread on the Hyaena Twitter page. This is getting crazy, but I think its great that people are talking about these artist. Thats why I started the Creep Machine, to be one more voice to share some of the great artists that are too ignored.

The Albrecht Durer Secret show looks amazing by the way, wish I could be there for it.

“Damian Crowley & John Thumbs:
I will state again, since you both have overlooked this over and over. I DO NOT LIKE MARK RYDEN'S WORK. I do not own any, if a painting was given to me I would sell it to buy art I actually enjoy. But I do have the ability to objectively look at his skill, and amazing marketing abilities.”
Yet objectively also means that you need to dig deeper to see WHERE he gets his skill from and WHERE else it is seen. Being a great marketer doesn’t make you a good artist, just look at walt Disney, who do you think really created mickey mouse? Hint it was NOT Disney.
Furthermore his skill is no different from many of those at Hayena, or other art galleries, …open your eye essay!.

Tom Thumbs, my apologies for missing Temple Terkildsen's reference. I guess this means I know nothing about art now.
One thing to notice, is that I have called no one here a moron, idiot or likewise. But I have been called this many times here. Sounds to me like this is a "believe what we believe or your stupid" mentality. Is that not what the upper class galleries stick to? Why do the same. And if this art is so dangerous, does what it wants and says what it wants with no one to answer to. Why get mad at me for basically doing to same but verbally. ? because your doing this
No your called those things because of statements like this that gothsrs has made as well.
“One of the things that has been left out is that Ryden can paint, really really good. I get the whole anti-classical thing that is going on, "outsider" or whatever the hell people want to call it. But the fact is, there are few artists that of Ryden's caliber. Not stuck with painting nothing but portraits, or repeating the same formula and layout over and over. “

in other words its called ignorance.

“Look at Ryden's Exhibition list:
http://www.markryden.com/biography/index.html
Few to none of the artists at this gallery, or others for that matter will show in some of the same galleries Ryden has. Is” again… Chris peters, Delphia, chet zar, John Wayne Gacy, Gidget Gein, Christopher Ulrich,

“I say what I want, not worrying about the repercussions and have not made myself a cheerleader. Isn't that what the whole point was to begin with? To not be a follower, to be against the grain? To not bow down and eat what is fed to us because the herd says to?” nooo but you are pretty much just sucking on the teet of Mr. Ryden simply because he is famous. Also it is about ignorance, say what you say without that and we will understand.

“You may not share my passion for what Hyaena is doing but perhaps learn more about them”
bingo right there is what I have been saying all along.

"chris peters is a phenomenal painter"

but hes a hayena artist OOOOh he hasnt shown at some random japanese gallery or the michael khon gallery, so hes not so important is he?

I wasnt going to say anything else but this is ridiculous.

Damian Crowley:
You really have a hard time understanding what is said dont you? Or your that much of a Hyaena cheerleader that you just wont listen.
You replied:
"nooo but you are pretty much just sucking on the teet of Mr. Ryden simply because he is famous. Also it is about ignorance, say what you say without that and we will understand."
I have said over and over that I dont like Mark Ryden, the reason I am speaking of him is because this blogpost was titled "Mark Ryden is not a God", if it was about Damien Hirst, Lori Earley or freakin Jackie Chan I would be talking about them. But you are so bent on me lovin Mark Ryden that you dont see that I am stating that you all get mad at Ryden (an artist in the topic) and his cheerleaders, but you are all cheerleaders for your niche.

Quit being a cheerleader yourself. I bet I could find someone with your stubbornness to fully read replies and unwavering flawed logic on a Ryden forum as I have here. Screw Ryden, and his cheerleaders, since I have learned they are no different than the ones here. Stubborn, clique driven sheep. Underground or not, you are all mindless herds.

Bye

Tinkles: I'll miss you. You were a cocktease, saying a lot, offering nothing; but you kept it lively here. I hope to one day meet you in a bar, broken hearted, alone. I hope we talk, laugh a little, and fuck on the dumpster in the alley. Maybe even cry. I hope you never tell me who you are and we can be just two flawed people together.

Bill has accomplished exactly what he was aiming to do...get people talking about art.
Everyone has made some great points, except for the guy who doesn't know why he served his country for the right to freedom of speech and expression and wishes my death....but i digress...
first off i like the work of Ryden and Shag...but honestly it has lost some of it's magic since the over commercialization of their work. This is true with anything...art, music...etc. I was a huge fan of Shag when i first saw his work....but 10 years later, to me, it's F'd out and he had a lot to do with it by selling his images to every company under the sun. The guy's a great business man, and has made some duckets... but that's not why i paint.
I love Bill because he gives his honest opinion and tells you straight up what he thinks...and that's hard to find in LA.
Wherever my art takes me, i will always be there for Bill.
-Creep

I read what you said, already, and yeah im being a cheerleader for TRUE artists, Mark is one, so is many

If you care to note that I also am one of those ryden cheerleaders but not in the same way you are even though you claim to NOT be one, ie saying that he is higher than anyone at hyaena. I am a cheerleader of art and the person for what they do, but not for the fans who are rydenites like gothsrus. Mindless heards eh im sorry but again whose the one who said stuff like this:

“Look at Ryden's Exhibition list:
http://www.markryden.com/biography/index.html
Few to none of the artists at this gallery, or others for that matter will show in some of the same galleries Ryden has. Is”

“He can paint whatever he wants, and has the skill to do so. Will he? No he won't, he has to please his fans.”

Creep,
your work is beyond SHAG, in that it involves REAL skill and REAL talent, you use REAL skill not stenciling, as far as Ive seen. I am truly looking forward to owning one of your works.

I support Bill because he is IMHO the true mans version of Long Gone John and i am very glad Gidget introduced me to him.

-D

I would rather have
"The Horrors in the Fruit Cellar" from The Creep than anything from Shag. The frame rules, the painting is amazing and it's from one of my all time favorite movies.

So you have enemies? Good! That means you've stood up for something you believe in. - Winston Churchill

"I don't know where I'm going but I promise it won't be boring." - David Bowie

“What distinguishes modern art from the art of other ages is criticism.” - Octavio Paz

If you have no critics you'll likely have no success. - Malcolm X

Your momma's like a shotgun 2 cocks and shes ready to blow - Anonymous

Wow. Where to begin?

I've purchased a fair amount of art in my life. It's safe to say that there was a time (when I was pulling down big Hollywood money) that the eyes of gallery owners throughout Los Angeles County would sparkle when I entered their doorways. I buy less art now (because times are tougher and I have less wall space) but I do still buy art, and these days I'm doing a fair amount of selling it, too. I feel at least as qualified as the next blogger to comment on this subject, and hopefully my comments will be fielded intelligently even if my words are not accepted as such.

I feel obligated to point out that Hyaena gallery was not the topic of Bill Shafer's post. He is the owner, yes, but his post was about the bloating of market prices for a select few artists who have managed to break out of cult status into the mainstream, and his feelings about that. He mentions several artists who he deems worthy of the same critical and popular success, and many of them have featured in his gallery, but nowhere did he mention Hyaena, and I doubt very much, knowing him as I do, that he posted this as an angle to promote his gallery. Several responders, however, have made their comments about his gallery rather than the discussion topic he opened. In full disclosure I should confess that I have purchased many paintings from Hyaena, and have every confidence that I will continue to do so, just as I have (and will) from BSFA, La Luz de Jesus, Carmichael, Merry Karnowsky, Black Maria, and about ten others. Also in the spirit of full disclosure I must admit that I am the director of two of the galleries listed. But that is about as relevant to the original post as the probability that I will continue to eat the mole loco at Cafe Yuca, or that I will remain a Red Sox fan for the rest of my life: all may be true but none are relevant to the discussion.

What is relevant to the discussion is a response to the opinions highlighted in Bill's original post: I disagree that commercial success inherently causes an artist to lose their edge, but more importantly, commercial success by its very definition implies that the public at large are accepting or embracing whatever edge the art had in the first place. Therefore the topic is a paradox.

But, if an artist were to purposely push their creative envelope specifically as a response to the feedback of the public, wouldn't that be the very kind of falseness that the original post is criticizing? If you choose to stop liking an artist because their popularity has entered a larger arena, that's your prerogative, but it's not the art that's changed, it's your perception of it. Granted, mainstream success breeds imitators, who by their presence dilute the power of the original message or image. Certainly, success brings into the fold new fans that the old fans may not like. To this end,
I used to love the music of Slayer, and by 1990 had seen them perform live three times. I don't hate Slayer now, and their sound hasn't changed much over the years, but the new wave of fans that started showing up at their concerts in the early 90s assured that I would never see them in concert again. You can expand upon this example to the Nth degree, substituting any artist for Slayer, and customizing to your own life experience, but in the end, the truth is your own truth and nobody else's.

It is unfortunate and common that artists like musicians can become guilty by association. Many people who hate Mark Ryden now, used to really love his art. He is a technically proficient painter, with an advanced composition and a style that resonates with a culture and taste that is of the moment right now. His choice to hire Asian artisans to construct unique frames that better display his art adds to his collective genius, and proves that he spends time thinking about presentation in addition to composition and technique. Most artists don't. I've seen him personally adjust gallery lighting, which is a level of personal commitment that most if not all of the artists mentioned in Bill's original post lack. Maybe it's because Bill does a great job, and maybe it's because the artists are happy to let someone else think about that part of their show.

Ryden's subjects -really his muses- are interesting people who have a loyal following of their own within a microcosm of the art, entertainment, and pop-culture world at large which makes his work more attractive to a larger demographic. In essence he is the champion of Goth art fans who have an appreciation for fine art, more so than just pop art, and who haven't been as readily exposed the entirety of artists practicing the so-called "pop-surrealism" style. Since his work is so accessible via the brand name he has made for himself, he is more recognizable to a wider swath of the public than most others -the aforementioned Robert Williams being a notable exception. Williams' work is also selling beyond most people's immediate artfund bracket. Why? Because of demand. Art increases in value because the number of people who want to own it and are willing to pay for it out number the amount of paintings offered for sale.
This is economics 101.
And like it or not there is an economic element to art. Once an artist decides to sell rather than give away their art, they have entered the economic world. No matter how above it they may act, they are cogs in the machine.

I would love to make a living sitting on my ass, and getting blow jobs from beautiful women while the greatest chefs in the world prepare for me delicious food, while I listen to my ipod. That is an unrealistic proposition. So is the idea that most people can make a living from the sale of their art alone. There is a small percentage who can even pay their rent on the sale of their artwork alone.
Rather than hating Mark Ryden for being successful (and he worked harder at cultivating his success than he did at painting the less than 60 paintings that comprise his resume) one might be better served examining the reasons that people create art in the first place. More often than not, it's ego. More on that in a minute.

Sometimes the most passionate artists just aren't that talented, and sometimes great art comes from the least likely source. But it is impossible and ill advised to get emotional about the success of the few or lack of success of the many when the reasons for each are relatively obvious:

The value of art is intrinsic. Unlike collecting stamps or currency, for which you can always at least retain the face value, the value of art is dictated by how much someone will pay for it. Apparently there are people willing to pay a million dollars for a Mark Ryden painting. And apparently, there aren't a whole lot of people willing to pay more than $500 for a John Wayne Gacy painting. Gacy was prolific, not too talented, and reviled by most of humanity.
Ryden's business practices may come under fire, but don't hate the player, hate the game.

I own several books of Ryden's collected works. I do not own a print or an original painting. I hate editions, and do not collect them. To me, they are overpriced posters. I enjoy unique works, because I have a collector's mentality, and what I love about the paintings, etchings, drawings, sculptures and craft items that I own is that I am the only one who owns them. It is definitely an ego thing, and I'm fully willing to admit it. Anyone who says otherwise is full of shit.
A piece of art can move you on a variety of levels, hopefully it has done so greatly if you've advanced to the point of purchase, but if there's a poster available of that same image, you've bought the original for the same reason I have: To own it. Someone may have whispered in your ear what a great investment it was, but at the end of the day you are saying, "I work hard for my money and I want this to show for it."
And hopefully that ownership makes you happy.

I'm not going to address the art speculators, but I will reveal this about the people I know who have the kind of expendable income that allows them to afford original Rydens, Van Goghs, and islands in the Carribean: they are in a financial bracket that demands they spend that kind of money. I'm happy they find enjoyment in art, because when one of them spends a million dollars on a Ryden, the price of an Ana Bagayan goes up in price, and that chain of desire filters all the way down to Big Tasty (and that in no way implies that Tasty is beneath anyone -it only reflects his asking price). If you are a gallery owner that hates Ryden, you are in some way self-loathing, because he's the best thing that ever happened to you -especially if you specialize in showing the big-eye art that Ryden is traditionalizing (after Walter & Margaret Keane). Think of him as a gateway drug to lowbrow art more to your liking.
Hell, the first record I ever owned was either "Osmonds Around the World" or "Elton John's Greatest Hits". And believe it or not, my record collection isn't just Donnie & Marie or Sir Elton. Go Figure!

The bottom line is that John and Suzy Q Citizen buy art that they can afford based on what's available after the Rockerfellers have made their selections. Madison Avenue has a hefty hand in all of this, too, and people who claim not to care about what others buy or wear have undergone (in a typical day) a constant barrage of commercials that factor into their purchase decisions. Did any of us wake up in a vacuum one day and decide to dress in black? No. We've got role models that have inspired us. All of us. Even so-called outsider artists at this point in the cultural history have seen other people's art and tried to emulate it. That fractured attempt at hommage has a specific charm that collectors of naive and outside art enjoy. Maybe you like it and maybe don't but you can't argue personal taste.

Perhaps the real target of Bill's well-thought essay is the twenty-first century art scholar.
Critics and people with impressive art degrees from prestigious schools and universities have made a name for themselves by championing art that 99% of the public thinks is bogus. There would be no conceptual or installation art without the snooty art critic. With very rare exception, the "importance" of conceptual art is bloated, overblown, and almost offensively defended. The prices those works fetch are predominantly) completely invented. I guess I can't dismiss out of hand the importance of Marcel Duchamp's upside down urinal, but it's not esthetically pleasing to me personally. In fact, I abhor clever art. If I want clever I'll read Oscar Wilde, not buy a shelf of actual laundry detergent for two million dollars.

I look for art that carries with it an ability that I do not have myself. That's easy for me, because I'm not an artist. I may also find something in a piece that transports me spiritually to a memory I have or a dream I'm cultivating, and if any of you come across something that triggers that emotion in you I encourage you to make the purchase. That's what credit cards are for, right?

At the end of the day, and for all my or Bill's or anyone else's belly aching, the majority of the public are lemmings, who are more than willing to cliff dive with the proper prodding. So don't hate the cliff just because the lemmings leap from it.

And don't get upset that a talented painter has hoodwinked a couple of over privileged fools into overpaying for a painting or two. Let's face it: Ryden can't persist selling his work in that price range. One or two may actually hold their value, but my prediction is that his prices are going to drop, just as prices for other "low-brow" art has. They ought to level out at a couple hundred thousand bucks a pop for the really big, impressive paintings, and the small ones should coast out the door around ten grand or so.

So let's all ride out this wave with smiles and boat drinks as we buy under-priced masterpieces from Ana Bagayan and Dienzo -at least until we start hating them, too.

Ok, You had my at "eat my ass"..seriously.
It's been a long time since I have heard such balls outside of my own head. It's a shame to finally find a few people that may have the same idealism of what great was...and where it comes from. But I am going to have to nod as well as bare arms. Mark Ryden is a God although his subject matter has been boring for awhile. I support Mr. Ryden, although I thought 600 bucks for a numbered book was blasphemy! He and his "fame" has supported and launched many of you. He has given you all many pages, opportunity, marketing, and a name. He supports a few I know and recognizes talent, technique and something else... It would seem that severing the jugular with so much angst against this one artist..though you named many many greats, could only possibly be because you are trying to identify a likeness with him or others have and your not making the fame. Identifying and comparing will never take the hot air out from inside. Enjoy these dying God's and hope that someday for at least one minute their will be someone else that makes you feel the dagger of truth and all apocalypse angel's will be standing in your light!

Viva la art!

Jen X

Wow, my head is spinning! So much great info and nice to hear the arteests pipe up! Aside from some negativity, I am pleased to see so much affirmation for new and exciting work as well as established work!

Art is like live music. We all need to support it as much as we can. I stay away from stadium shows because I get less emotional bang for my buck. I feel good when I can slip a dollar or two into the street muscian's hat (it's all I can usually afford). As a consumer of art it all boils down to whether it makes me feel good or not. If ever I get FU money, I may start to invest in art, but I doubt it. What would be fun about that?

I personally have thanked Bill for reinvigorating my love of art. Hyaena was just the push I needed. Bill, the pusherman I didn't know I needed. He is your momma AND your daddy AND that nigger in the alley. Thanks, Yo.

My whole thing is people debate art like it's punk rock. Art is art. I personally feel there's no difference between Ryden and a little boy in Mexico painting turtle shells. Artists create something and throw it into the universe. People like to disect it but the bottom line is some people like cats, others red squares. I find Hyaena's art comforting because of it's chaos. Kennedy, you're right about tastes. I like Poo Zombies from Big Tasty. But I think you're misinformed about our level of commitment. I don't know anyone who can buy an island but I know some sweet and genuine people. When you talk about Ryden opening the floodgates I think about Sammy Davis Jr. saying the same thing. You're right in that. As the world changes around us - Hyaena is important because it gives a voice and a masthead to fringe artists established or not and I think it's important to have an equalizer. Bringing everyone together under the same sideshow tent.

In this day and age anyone with a Myspace can sell art without a gallery, AOA and others have made finding art really easy. There are millions of artists crawling over deviantart, facebook, twitter, etc and I think in the long run - Hyaena's strength is it's accessibility. Anyone off the street can walk in and buy something. Also it's one of the few galleries where the artists bat for it. Not about kissing ass but because it's there, one big home for weird and fucked up art where every artist has their own integrity and who's art compliments the next.

I loves me some Hyaena and Bill

Interesting. While I enjoy Rydens work. I enjoy many of the artist you support. Just learning of Rydens work in the last two years I immediatly likes his style. I can agree I dont see how one becomes so popular. This is one of parts of art of will probably never understand. Why is a piece worth so much? It has not much to do with talent or the time that went into the work. Not to be little Ryden or most of the "Low Brow Artist" but most can be describe as glorified comic or children
s book illistrators. I think Ryden somehow found his way into main society pockets. Large deep pokects. I think at Rydens point of being an artist people are more or less buying as an investment. Oh well I think I might be wasting my time writing this. Art is subject to personal approval. If one likes it buy it. One thing about art I do know is it has made the world a much more interesting place to live. Art enjoy what you like. Robert

All I can say is WOW. Mark Ryden is my uncle. I think you must be a sad sad man with a lot of time on your hands, bashing talented artist like Mark and Shag. For shame..

Get a life.

AND ANOTHER THING ID LIKE TO ADD.

Did this Hyaena guy even research Mark? His most expensive painting was The Tree Of Life which sold for 750,000 which YES is a very large number. BUT did you ever take in to consideration that THE GALLERY TAKES HALF OF THAT. And not to mention the other fees.

Mark Ryden Fans can also get his art at cheaper prices. His books are not expensive and neither are certain prints.

Hyaena, you really research the facts and know what you are talking about before you go bashing artists. Especially if you are a gallery owner.

- Justine Ryden

One thing I have to say (being Mark's son I'd probably know this better than most people). He does need people's support. I don't know what illusion you are under which led you to believe that he is financially secure for the rest of his life, but you are sadly misinformed. My Dad needs to keep selling paintings to make a living. As many artists do. This is what pays our bills. Don't go spreading lies about such things.

-Jasper Ryden

$325,000? You can buy a lot of art at Hyaena for that and retire for 10 years!

I feel a little sorry for you reading this. I mean, to have this vitriolic hatred for an artist cause he's popular and successful. You sound like a jealous child. The fact is, Mark Ryden is incredibly good at what he does and has inspired so many young artists. I hope he does make alot of money, in fact he deserves to make much more money than some highly paid actor who essentially does nothing.
Anyway, whats underneath your ranting is just a juvenile anger that you can't reach that kind of success as an artist. Sorry man, Ryden worked pretty hard to get to that point.

DO YOUR BALLS ITCH? What is irritating you so much to make you so hateful by bashing my brother? I feel sorry for you and think that you should take up knitting instead of criticizing art and the artists that actually have talent, unlike yourself. He should be making even more money for the art that he creates from his lovely imagination!!

LORI RYDEN

My son is 14 years old and is taking visual arts this year in the 9th grade. He came home recently after talking about and seeing some of Marks work in class. We live in the Inland Empire and are looking for someplace to see more of his work. Any suggestions (Justine or Lori)? I asked my son why he likes Marks work, his answer was simple "It looks cool and it makes me smile" I've have always tried to expose him to art and have never had this sort of reaction. He is the normal teenager, attitude included, but Marks work seemed to spark something inside of him. And just as a sidenote, my son had no idea Mark did The Dangerous album cover for MJ, so there was no influence there. Bottom line is Marks work caught the interest of my teenage son. The only other pieces of art that have done that were, Whistler Mother, and the Mona Lisa. Kids love your stuff Mark keep up the good work. Thank You

Bob - that is the sappiest load of shit I ever read. Whister's Mother? Mona Lisa?

When I'm passing your son in the unemployment line after his art school graduation; I'll be sure to remark about how his father wasted too much money exposing him to boring dead artists and another, like MJ, likes the naked little kids. The art world need something NEW, not something old or borrowed. Hyaena's art at least makes you think rather than regurgitate all the same boring Idiot's Guide for Dummies opinions.

Lori - you said "balls", I like that.

This is the problem. No one reads anymore. Never was Bill bashing Ryden. To quote Plan 9 From Outer Space "All you earth people are stupid! stupid! Stupid! Stupid!".

Lori: I understand you're upset but you should be above flame wars on the internet. I'm an emotional person too but I take time to support any argument I have with facts rather than jump to hate. Bill has a mean face, I get it and you're alarmed by the title.

So here's the skinny: Support up and coming artists. Mark Ryden is already established as a success.

When Mark was starting out he'd need somewhere like Hyaena to embrace his quirky and beautiful visions.

Let's stop the hate.