The Markey Cultural Arts Center will host an exhibition by Merry Cibula November 17 to December 22. The exhibition is entitled, “Wildlife and Equine Art”
Living in Cameroon, West Africa for six years (where, as a Peace Corps Volunteer, Cibula photographed and recorded the art and culture of the people of the Bamenda Grasslands. Her interest in wildlife began with a small collection of animals rescued from
the local markets and traders.
After returning to the States, she completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, majoring in Painting, at Ohio University, purchased a farm near Athens, and worked as a large animal vet tech, before directing her interests in animals and photography into her art. “With the horse as my subject, I published several limited edition prints, was an illustrator for the American Quarter Horse Museum, and my work appeared on th
e covers and in articles of many equine publications,” Cibula said.
A member of the Society of Animal Artists for many years, Cibula’s art found new direction in wildlife. “Working in graphite and colored pencil, I approach my wo
rk with a photographer’s eye and attention to detail. Drawn to the moment—the light, the energy of the animal—I prefer close-ups focused on gesture and expression. Off-beat or unusual angles create excitement—a sense of seeing something for the first time—which I hope will encourage, in others, an appreciation for both the beauty and value of the animal I’ve drawn,” Cibula explained.
Meet Merry Cibula at her show’s opening on Friday, November 17 at 7 p.m. where she will give insight on how some of her pieces were captured, as well as what inspires her art.
The “Wildlife and Equine Art” exhibition will be open from November 17 to December 22 in the Markay Cultural Arts Center’s Gallery, 269 E. Main St., Jackson. The Gallery is open noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday to Friday and on weekends from 1 to 3 p.m. or by appointment.
The Markay Cultural Arts Center is a project of the Southern Hills Arts Council, with operating funding through the Ohio Arts Council, The Jackson County United Fund, and various donors. Southern Hills Arts Council is a 501
(c)3 non-profit organization.