Mark Ryden is an American artist known for his dark fairytale paintings and prints. Credited with the development of an illustrative aesthetic known as Pop Surrealism, the artist combines popular culture with historical and mythological imagery. Ryden’s meticulous technique and candy-colored palettes convey a sinister undercurrent, similar to the works of Yoshitomo Nara and Margaret Keane. “People in our culture think they should never be unhappy,” the artist observed of his often-cynical works. “If you open yourself up, you do make yourself vulnerable to pain but the deeper the pain you experience, the deeper joy you have.” Born January 20, 1963 in Medford, OR, Ryder graduated with a BFA from Art Center College...