Education

MFA 1972 University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado

BFA  1970 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Awards and Grants

2017    Foundation for the Arts, Distinguished Artist Grant, New York, New York.

2015    AICA-USA (Art Critics) Finalist for best show of 2012 in an alternative space, “Un-Natural” at the Municipal Gallery at Barnsdall Park. Los Angeles, CA             

2007    July Residency, Santa Fe Art Institute, Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant

1996    Artist Fellowship, J. Paul Getty Trust Fund for Visual Arts

1980    CETA Grant: Art in Public Spaces. One year’s support.

1980    Artist’s Grant: California Arts Commission

1979    Los Angeles City CETA Grant fo Art in Public Places

Solo Exhibitions

2017    Field Notes from the Front Lines. Merion Estes Recent Paintings. CB1 Gallery, Los Angeles, CA. October

2017    Lost Horizons and Cooling Trend. CB1 Gallery. Los Angeles, CA

2015    Dystopia. CB1 Gallery. Los Angeles, CA

2012    Un-Natural. Municipal Art Gallery at Barnsdall Park. With Mallinson, Burnes and Adams.
2012    Paintings and Works on Paper. David Richard Contemporary. Santa Fe, New Mexico
2011    Lost Horizons and More. David Richard Contemporary. Santa Fe, New Mexico
2009    Merion Estes: “Lost Horizons” Gallerie Anais, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica CA
2008    In the Garden: The Art of Merion Estes. Biola University Art Gallery. La Mirada, CA

2007    Merion Estes: Recent Paintings. Cardwell Jimmerson Gallery. Culver City CA

2006    A Sea of Possibilities: Works by Merion Estes 1971-2006. Pomona College Museum of Art. Curated by Rebecca McGrew. (Catalogue)

2005    Contemporary Soliloquies on the Natural World: Karen Carson, Merion Estes, Constance Malllinson, Margaret Nielsen, Takako Yamaguchi. USC Fisher Galleries, Los Angeles.

2001    Merion Estes, Paintings. Irvine Fine Arts Center. Curated by Carl Berg

1998    Subversive Pleasures. Curated by Carl Berg. Remba Gallery, West Hollywood, CA  (Catalogue essay by Michael Duncan)

1997    Merion Estes Paintings. Curated by Carl Berg. Gallery LASCA, Los Angeles

1997    Merion Estes. Gallery LASCA, Seoul, Korea.

1996    Merion Estes, Recent Paintings. Claremont Graduate School Gallery, Claremont, CA.

1994    50+: A Painting Show. Rio Hondo College Gallery, Whittier, CA.

1994    Soundings. Jan Baum Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

1991    Merion Estes: Recent Paintings. Daniel Saxon Gallery, Los Angeles

1988    Mystic Realms: Paintings by Merion Estes. California State University atDominguez Hills, Los Angeles, CA.

1987    Merion Estes. Jan Baum Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.

1986    Merion Estes. Jan Baum Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.

1984    Merion Estes. Jan Baum Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.

1983    Merion Estes. Karl Bornstein Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.

1979    Merion Estes: Studies and Templates. North Carolina School of the Arts,Winston-Salem, NC

1980    Public Installation. Avenue of the Stars. Century City. Funded by CETA (One year)

1979    Merion Estes: Five Year Survey, Municipal Art Gallery at Barnsdall Park, Los Angeles

1979    Night Garden Installation, Laica Downtown Space, Los Angeles

1979    Public Installation.Funded by CETA Art in Public Space

1975    Undercurrants, Grossmont College Gallery, San Diego, CA

1974    Merion Estes, Grandview Galleries, Women’s Building, Los Angeles, CA

Selected Group Exhibition

2016    Megafauna: Endangered in Africa. Occidental College Gallery

2016    Urbanature. Curated by Constance Mallinson Art Center College. Pasadena, CA

2015    XX Redux. Chapman University Gallery, Orenge, CA Catalogue. Curated by Nancy                    Buchanan

2015    Art and the Environment. LAX exhibition space. Curated by Jay Belolli.

2013    Dangerous Beauties. Stuart Haaga Gallery, Descanso Gardens, CA Curated by John                  O’Brien

2012    The Nature of Things: Ruth Bachofner Gallery Santa Monica, CA

2011    Platform: Los Angeles in the the 70ʼs. David Richard Contemporary. Los Angeles Art Fair

2011    Painting Per Se: Los Angeles Paintings from the Seventies. David Richard 

Contemporary. Santa Fe, New Mexico (Curated by Peter Frank and David Eicholtz)

2011    AKA Zen, David Richard Contemporary, Santa Fe, New Mexico

2009    Rant. Curated by Ryan and Dan Callis. Pacific Design Center. Los Angeles.

2007    Women Artists of Southern California: Then and Now. Track 16 Gallery,

Bergamot Station, Santa Monica CA. Catalogue.

2006    Plex. Curated by Noel Korten. The Brewery Annex. Los Angeles

2005    Group. Carl Berg Gallery. Los Angeles, CA

2003    LAPD. Rosamund Felsen Gallery, Los Angeles. Curated by Michael Duncan.

2002    Post Cool. San Jose Art Museum, San Jose, CA Curated by Michael Duncan Traveled to Otis College of Art, Los Angeles. (2004)

2002    Out of the Digital Domain. Irvine Fine Arts Center. Irvine, CA

2002    Hand-painted. Irvine Fine Arts Center, Irvine, CA Curated by Carl Berg

2001    The Importance of Being Earnest. Occidental College Gallery, Los Angeles. Curated by   Michael Duncan

2001    Cross-Pollination. Holland Tunnel, Brooklyn, N.Y. Curated by Susan Joyce.Organica. Coleman Gallery, West Hollywood, CA

2002    Threeʼs Company. With Linda Day and Jeremy Kidd. Cypress College Fine Arts Gallery. Cypress, CA

2000    Cosmic Dermis. Curated by Gordon Haines, Rosamund Felsen Gallery, Santa Monica.

2000    Intraconnections. Curated by Carl Berg, Dan OʼMelveny Gallery, West Hollywood, CA 1998            Group Show. Curated by Carl Berg, Remba Gallery, and West Hollywood, CA.

1996    Teeming. Curated by Habib Kheradyer. POST Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.

1996    Transcendental Meditations. William Turner Gallery, Venice, CA.

1996    L.A. Current: the Female Perspective. UCLA Art Rental Gallery atThe Armand Hammer Museum: Los Angeles, CA.

1995    Impure Painting. Jan Baum Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.

Group Show. Jan Baum Gallery: Los Angeles, CA.

1994    Current Abstraction. Curated by Noel Korten. Municipal Art Gallery, Los Angeles.

1993    The Layered Look. Curated by Sue Spaid. Jan Baum Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.

1991    Of Nature and the Human Spirit. Daniel Saxon Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.

1988    Visionary Landscape. Curated by Joan Hugo. Womanʼs Building, Los AngelesElements: Landscape. Jan Baum Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.

1986    Group Show. Jan Baum Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.

1985    Group Show. Jan Baum Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.

1984    A Broad Spectrum: Contemporary Los Angeles Painters and Sculptors.Design Center, Los Angeles, CA.

1984    Criticʼs Choice: Downtown Artists. Transamerica Center, Los Angeles, CA.

1983    Los Angeles Pattern Painters. ARCO Center for Visual Art, Los Angeles, CA.

1983    Group Show. Organized by Karl Bornstein. Joseph Gallery: New York, NY. 1983 Exchange of Sources: Expanding Powers. California State University     Stanislaus: Turlock, CA. Curated by Harmony Hammond.

1983    Five from L.A. Linda Farris Gallery: Seattle, WA.

1983    On and Off the Wall: Shaped and Colored. Oakland Museum of Art, Oakland, CA

1982    In and Around Little Tokyo. Japanese American Cultural Center, Los Angeles.

1982    Downtown L.A.: Between the Freeways. Palm Springs Museum of Art, Palm Springs, CA

Between the Freeways: The New Art of Los Angeles. Curated by Tom Garver   Madison Center for Fine Art. Madison, WI. Also traveled to the Center for the Visual Arts,

Normal Illinois, Addison Gallery Of American Art, Andover, MA. Nickel Art Museum, Alberta, Canada.

1981    Contemporary Triptychs. Curated by David Rubin. Scripps and PomonaCollege Galleries, Claremont, CA. 

1981    Merion Estes and Barry Fahr. Downtown Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.

1981    Some Painters, For Example. Security Pacific Bank, Los Angeles, CA

1981    Drawings: Some Personal Definitions. San Diego State College Gallery

1978    XX, L.A.C.E., Los Angeles, CA

1977    Eight From L.A. Baum-Silverman Gallery, Los Angeles

1976    Downtown Artists, ARCO Center for the Arts, Los Angeles

1974    Contemporary Idioms: Some New L.A. Galleries. University of California at Santa Barbara             Galleries, Santa Barbara, CA

1972    Four from Boulder. Center for Contemporary Art. Denver, CO.

Reviews and Articles

2018    Heitzman, Lorraine. “The Feminine Sublime at the Pasadena Museum of California Art” Art and Cake

2018    Mizota, Sharon. “The Feminine Sublime” LA Times

2018    Enholm, Molly. “The Feminine Sublime” Fabrik Magazine

2018    Dambrot, Shana Nys. “Merion Estes”. Artillery Magazine. Los Angeles   CA

2018    Walters, Sydney. Merion Estes.” Art and Cake

2017    Heitzman, Lorraine. “Merion Estes”. Art and Cake

2017    Ollman, Leah, “Vibrant Beauty in L.A. Artist Merion Estes’ “Lost Horizons”. LA Times

2017    Abrahams, Megan. “Merion Estes” Art Limited.

2017    Messerli, Douglas. “Pattern Recognition” Hyperallergic

2015    Abrahams, Megan”. “Merion Estes: Dystopia” Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art.

2015    Pagel, David. “The Gorgeous But Threatening World of Merion Estes” Los Angeles Times

2015    Abrahams, Megan. “Merion Estes: Dystopia” Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art.

2015    Pagel, David. “The gorgeous but threatening world of Merion Estes” Los Angeles Times

2015    Barton, Dave. “Chapman University Revisits the F Word: XX Redux.” OCWeekly

2013    Barrie,Lita. Artweek.la/issue/July-22- “Dangerous Beauties”.

2013    Enholm, Molly. Art ltd. “Dangerous Beauties” July/Aug

2012    Framk Peter. “Un-Natural” Fabrik Magazine. May

2011    Frank, Peter. ”Los Angeles Painting in the 1970ʼs.” Art ltd.. Sept.-Oct.2011 2011 Kienholtz, Lyn. “L.A. Rising: So Cal Artists Before 1980” Getty Museum

2011    Powell-Wilson, MaLin. “California State of Mind.” Albuquerque Journal North.

2009    Frank, Peter. Merion Estes: “Lost Horizons” Art ltd. November/ December 2009

2007    Mallinson, Constance. “Merion Estes Review” Art in America, December

2006    Duncan, Michael. “Focus L.A.” Art in America. November

2006    Frank, Peter. “Pick of the Week” L.A. Weekly

2006    Pagel, David. Earth, Wind and Higher” Los Angeles Times. January

2005    Duncan,Michael et al. “State of the Art; 100 Best Artists in LA” LA Weekly.November 5

2004    Miles, Christopher. “Tracing Patterns” Art in America. February.

2003    Myers, Holly. “Redefining Boundaries of Whatʼs Hip”. Los Angeles Times. July 28

2003    Frank, Peter. “Picks of the Week:” NYPD, LAPD” Los Angeles Weekly.Pincus, Robert. “LA Post-Cool” San Diego Union-Tribune.

2003    Morris, Barbara. “Post-Cool”. Artweek.

2002    Fischer, Jack. “Post-Cool”. San Jose Mercury News.

2000    Haines, Gordon. Brochure essay for Cosmic Dermis show at Rosamund Felsen.

2000    Pagel, David. Review, “Cosmic Dermis” Los Angeles Times. August.

1998    Duncan, Michael. “Merion Estesʼ Alternate Universe: Shameless Pleasure in

the Garden of Fancy”.  Exhibition Catalogue, “Subversive Pleasures”.

1998    Pagel, David. Review. Los Angeles Times. April 24

1997    Martin, Victoria. “Teeming at Post”, Art Week. February.

1996    Kandel, Susan. “Review of Teeming”, Los Angeles Times. Dec. 19.

1996    Kandel, Susan. “Calculation and Abstraction”, Los Angeles Times. Dec. 5.

1996    Pagel, David. “Transcendental Meditations”, Los Angeles Times. August 15.

1994    Duncan, Michael. “L.A. Rising”, Art in America. December.

1994    Kandel, Susan. “Entrancing Revelations”, Los Angeles Times. February 3

1993    Kandel, Susan. “The Layered Look: an Inspired Mess”, Los Angeles Times. July 29.

1991    Baron, Todd. “Review”, Artscene. September.

1988    Suggs, Don. “Distance/Disruption”, Forehead. Vol. I.

1988    Zimmerer, Kathy. “Merion Estes: Recent Paintings”, Visions. Summer Issue

1987    Mallinson, Constance. “Merion Estes”, Art in America. November.

1987    McKenna, Kristine. “Galleries”, Los Angeles Times. April 10.

1986    Hugo, Joan. “Symbolic Landscapes”, Artweek. March.

1986    Gardner, Colin. “Review”, Los Angeles Times. January 24.

1984    Menzies, Neal. “A Turn Towards Art History”, Artweek. March.

1983    Rubin, David. “Merion Estes at Karl Bornstein”, Art in America. May.

1983    Pincus, Robert. “Review of Bornstein Exhibition”, Los Angeles Times. February

1983    Home, Kathleen. “Breaking and Entering”, Images and Issues.

1983    Folliot, Sheila. “Expanding Powers”, Artweek. March 19.

1983    Wilson, William. “Carrying Downtown to the Desert”, Los Angeles Times. Feb. 5.

1981    Rourke, Mary. “Merion Estes and Barry Fahr at Downtown Gallery”,

Images and Issues. Winter.

1981    Ballatore, Sandy. “Expanding on the Decorative”, Images and Issues. Summer.

1981    Drohojowska, Hunter. “Pick of the Week”, L.A. Weekly. July.

1981    Pincus, Robert. “From Pattern to Imagery in Paint”, Los Angeles Times. August

1981    Battles, Brian. “They Have a Line on New Art”, San Diego Union. April.

1979    Wilson, Jane. “Lofty Ambitions for Downtown Artists, Los Angeles Herald ExaminerSeptember 15

1979    Muchnic, Suzanne. Review of Barnsdall Exhibition. Los Angeles Times, Nov. 7

1977    Wilding, Faith. “By Our Own Hands” Double X Publishing 1977

1976    Wilson, William. “ARCO Exhibit Opens at Center” Los Angeles Times, May 3

1976    Dignam, Pet and Gottlieb, Laurie. “The Young Artists Return to the Central City”,Los Angeles Magazine, July

1975    Preisman, Fran. “Ordered Systems Into Irrational Forms” Artweek. November

1975    Wilson, William. “The Flavor of Feminism”, Los Angeles Times. July 8

1973    McConnell, Miriam. “Six Los Angeles Women”. Artweek December 1