Dublin’s Ryan Merkle hopes new studio will encourage others, boost local art scene

Ryan Merkle’s talent for art, and perhaps even his passion, was evident at an early age.

“My kindergarten teacher nicknamed me Picasso,” recalls Merkle. “I didn’t even know who that was at the time, but it sounded nice.”

Unlike some of his friends and classmates, Merkle’s love for art never waned.

“I’ve always drawn and doodled. I just never stopped. I’ve had friends who I felt were either better or could draw just as well as me, but they ended up going some other route and never continued it. I’ve just always had a desire to do art.”

Art became an even bigger part of his life when he moved to Dublin in December 2024 to open Studio 124 on Jefferson Street. A friend, Justin King, owns the building and reached out to Merkle, who admits he was not the first choice for the job.

“He had this space vacant and wanted to use it as an art studio and a sip-and-paint venue. He originally came to my brother, who went to college with him, but my brother wasn’t available, but I was. We’re both artists. So I thought it would be a good opportunity to pursue something that I want to do.”

Merkle’s main job is manning the food truck down the street at Crooked Finger Brewery. He’s worked in and around kitchens for most of his life, but never let the demanding hours deter his art.

“I’d just go home and paint or draw until four o’clock in the morning. I put in a lot of hours and effort in trying to develop and further my skills, and come up with a style that I could call my own. I’ve always admired artists who are able to do that.”

Merkle describes his own style as “a mixture of surrealism with a little bit of abstract.”

“I don’t know – I like to combine styles. My landscapes are kind of impressionistic. I like incorporating realism and abstract together and having them flow. But I try not to repeat myself.

“Impressionists were a big influence on me, and Salvador Dali and the surrealists were a big influence.”

That influence extends beyond the canvass to Merkle’s mustache. “That’s Dali,” he explains.

Merkle’s paintings most often begin with a face. 

“Then I let it go and I try not to force anything.” 

He points to a mother-and-child portrait to illustrate his process. 

“I drew her face, and it looked like she was looking down at something and it was like, well, I could make it a baby. And then it flows and, OK, it could be the Virgin Mary and Jesus.”

For landscapes, Merkle often photographs scenes that catch his eye to paint later.

“Usually I’ll come up with some sort of abstract flow that kind of goes with the photo and my surrealist approach comes to it. Like I try not to think too much about it. 

“I try to let it kind of unfold organically, so it seems like it’s more organic than something that’s forced. You don’t wanna carry a canvas around with your easel. So anytime I see a nice sunset or a scene that I could possibly use, I take a picture of it.”

He has photographed nearby Madison Street after its renovation, which added street lamps and brick pavers for nostalgic new look. “That is something I want to get started on.”

Merkle, 40, grew up in Norcross and has lived Atlanta, but also in Milledgeville and Jackson. In addition art studio opportunity, Dublin’s smalltown charm was also a lure.

“I like smaller towns. I prefer that to living in Atlanta. Atlanta was a bit too much. … I like the people here. I’ve met a lot of really good people who have been encouraging, helpful and supportive, so it’s been nice.”

Studio 124 is much needed addition to Dublin’s resurgent downtown, said Paula Prinzi, a photographer who moved here two years ago from Tampa, Florida.

“It brings a sense of community. I’m excited about all of the possibilities,” Prinzi during a recent outing at the studio. “We can do all kinds of events here – small groups, corporate parties. The possibilities are endless. It lends itself to a variety of events, and it’s right down the street from the brewery.

“I’m excited to see Ryan thrive, to see him grow. I want to see Dublin come alive with its art community.”

Merkle hopes to eventually hold regular sip-and-paint classes on Saturdays, but classes can also be booked for private classes or events, whether a corporate gathering or just a group of friends. 

“I’m eventually wanting to make this into a gallery, as well, where local artists can display their work,” he said. “Those are the main three things, and other artists can rent it out, as well, to do classes, summer camps and stuff like that. I have a few artists that are interested in doing that. So I’m trying to utilize the space as much as I possibly can and not just do classes of my own, but have other artists do them, as well.”

Merkle typically provides about a half-dozen sketched-out canvasses for participants to choose from.

“Sometimes people just want to go with what I’ve already done, and I can guide them through with what colors I mixed in and whatnot. And then sometimes people like to improvise and do their own thing, which I encourage. I like kind of seeing people do their own thing, and I think it’s fun for them to explore and get a bit more creative with it.”

Merkle said he is driven by an “urge to create.”

“It’s like, if I’m not creating, I get depressed. It’s therapeutic in a way in that it’s nice to focus on one thing and not be distracted by all the crazy stuff that’s going on in the world. It’s nice to just be able to focus on something and create something in the process.

“It’s just always been something that I that I’ve enjoyed doing, and seeing the finished product is a very gratifying, especially if it comes out how I’m wanting it to look. It took me awhile to get to that point because when I first started painting, I transferred over from mainly doing pencil and color pencil to painting for my first five years at least. I was not really liking what I was producing.”

One of Merkle’s favorite works is a large painting of a young woman posed protectively over seven children. But in this case, the subjects are actual people, although the mother figure here is a sister who helped raise her siblings after the death of a parent.

“I had to draw paint them from my head and try to get their likeness, and so that was challenging, but it was fun to kind of challenge myself in that sort of way. I used some references, of course, like from an old icon of the Virgin Mary. As the older sibling, she’s had to take on a maternal role because she lost her father. She’s been an admirable person. She actually got me going to church again.”

Merkle has relied on word of mouth, social media and business to spread the word about Studio 124. He encourages everyone to give painting a try, if for no other reason than to escape the bustle of the real world for while. They might find out they have the talent and passion to pursue it further.

“You’ve just got to be committed to putting in that time and being OK with being alone for a little bit, and I think the results will pan out. I think being alone is good sometimes, too. I think people need to be OK with being with their own thoughts and going through them and not having to be constantly stimulated by social media or people.”