Marilyn Riopel
Marilyn Riopel
Active Member
Preferred Medium:
alcohol ink and acrylics
Artist Bio:
Growing up in an artistic family, Riopel was surrounded with most of the arts. She studied art with Arnold Blanch at the Art Student's League and Philip Guston at NY Univ. Living in Greenwich Village, she loved sketching portraits around the 5th Avenue Arch and worked in advertising. Irked by commercialism, she trained to teach Elementary Waldorf School and emigrated to a position in Vancouver.
Always Painting, she was accepted by the Vancouver FCA, exhibiting and selling in their gallery. Starting in watercolours, her love of saturated colour drew her to pastels and shifted from life drawing and landscapes to impressionism and abstracts. Mark-making, complex layering and bold colours emerged working through multiple series explorations.
Locked in during the Pandemic, restlessness brought her to something new. Brilliant alcohol inks filled her with excitement. "It felt like watching flowing colour explode with life." Riopel found joy in somber times and just keeps evolving.
Artist Statement:
My art usually flows mostly from feelings. While choosing my materials, ideas form, compositions and colour combinations arise. Time evaporates. When my studio time ends I often realize how different the final piece is from my first ideas.
During the process a conversation ensues ... "I like what's happening here" ... "Change that!" "Yes?" ... "Needs some red there!" ... "Get rid of that." ... "Stop, don't touch it! It may be finished. I'll assess it tomorrow."
