Mark Ryden, American painter and illustrator
Mark Ryden (born January 20, 1963) is an American painter who is considered to be part of the Lowbrow (or Pop Surrealist) art movement. He was dubbed "the god-father of pop surrealism" by Interview magazine. Artnet named Ryden and his wife, the painter Marion Peck, the King and Queen of Pop Surrealism and one of the ten most important art couples in Los Angeles.Ryden's aesthetic is developed from subtle amalgams of many sources, from Ingres, David and other French classicists to Little Golden Books. Ryden also draws his inspiration from anything that will evoke mystery: old toys, anatomical models, stuffed animals, skeletons and religious ephemera found in flea markets. He designed artwork for prominent musicians including Aerosmith's "Love in an Elevator", Michael Jackson's Dangerous (1991) and Red Hot Chili Peppers' One Hot Minute (1995).