Weldon

Weldon Ryan (b. 1962) was born in The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, W.I. Graduate of the H.S. of Art and Design 1981, Attended the State University at New Paltz, 1981- 82, Graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology 1984, A.A. In General Illustration. Interned at Quato Book Publishing1985-1986 and Comp artist for Ad Agencies. 1987 to 1989 NYC Urban Park Ranger. In 1989 worked for NYPD as a Police Officer and Forensic Artist Unit in 1994. Weldon retired from NYPD in 2004 and resides in Palm Coast, Florida. Artist statement Thank you for the opportunity to engage you in the potential chance that you may feel receptive in representing my work. I consider myself a realist painter painting contemporary images in a post expressionist world of art. I prefer painting large for the freedom and excitement it creates. I don’t frame. I prefer gallery wraps or thicker stretchers to encompass my work. My theme is about the West Indian Carnival which has greater world wide acceptance of this joyful and exceptional celebration or fete which is multicultural deriving from the exclusion of the indentured and the enslaved. I work in oil and sometimes use acrylics in my backgrounds. My solid color backgrounds are intended on bringing the viewer into the celebration of the fete of Carnival. It is also important to crop tighter and not be traditional about my composition. Excluded part of the anatomy or item provides the viewer to also create in their mind the continuity of the painting expanding the viewers imagination at the break. It’s about the celebration and the abandonment of rules that keep us void of expressions of sexuality and personal expression. Carnival is inclusion regardless of rules. Thanks again for the