“I plunge into each piece of work as if it were an adventure into the unknown. With no specific outcome in mind, I respond to the changes in the picture as I explore and interact with materials by layering paint and paper, scratching, sanding and marking, creating open spaces, altering and adjusting. I move between intuition and logic; chaos and order. Being aware and open, taking risks with the materials, as well as the struggle itself allows me to be in the moment to reflect and interpret a history that evolves on the canvas before my eyes.”
Teri Dryden’s unorthodox path to becoming an artist began with immersion in an ancient art form in which she was the medium. A theatre major at Towson University in Maryland, she excelled in physical expression and comedy. At the urging of an instructor, she auditioned and won a coveted spot as one of the few female clowns in the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus. For two unforgettable years, she performed in every state in the U.S. in one of the most colorful and visually stimulating environments imaginable. After creating textile art for several years, Teri decided to take an art class, and discovered a latent talent and passion for drawing, painting and collage.
She is a member of the Collage Artists of America, National Collage Society and Women Painters West. Her work is included in many private collections and has been exhibited in numerous solo, group and juried exhibitions across the country. In 2010 she and her husband moved from Los Angeles to the historic Louisville, to enjoy the slower pace and rich heritage of a smaller city with one of America’s most vibrant art scenes. Teri continues to revel in daily discoveries about art and her own sensibilities, and fearlessly explores the infinite possibilities of various media and genres.
