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Merion Estes
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About

My work is known for its use of varied depictions of natural “scenes”, whether stereotypical landscape views or underwater scenes. The beauty and fragility of life and the tragedy of man’s intervention is my subject. There are few paradises left. As of 2014, I still am using found fabrics from Africa and elsewhere, coupled with mixed paint applications and photo transfers. My use of African prints has added to my vocabulary of forms and patterns. Often their prints use symbolic depictions of natural forms and were recognized by me as similar to my own abstracted natural forms and backgrounds. The manufactured prints add an exotic and surprising aspect to the work. This allows for greater variety and originality in the paintings and an added layer of content that is more specific and somewhat representational. I like the feeling of “craft” that results. The content and meaning of my work has become clearer to the viewer. I am interested in the wildly varied combination of found imagery and depictions of subject that this method has afforded me. From the inspiration of ancient Asian prints, to the contemporary printed motifs inspired by African fabrics, is quite a journey. Ironically, the hand painting has mostly disappeared. Collaged materials and photo imagery has opened a whole new world for me.



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Resume

Dispatches from the Front Lines - Catalog

Click here to download resume (PDF)



Education


MFA     University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado
BFA      University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico


Awards & Grants

2007     Joan Mitchell Foundation funded residency at the Santa Fe Art Institute
1996     Artist’s Fellowship, J. Paul Getty Trust Fund for the Visual Arts


Solo Exhibitions

2012     “Un-Natural.” Municipal Art Gallery at Barnsdall Park. With  
             LisaAdams, Fatehma Barnes and Constance Mallinson. (Four solo shows)
2012     “Merion Estes: 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     “Lost Horizons.” Galerie Anais, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, CA
2007     Recent Paintings. Cardwell Jimmerson Gallery. Culver City, CA
2006     “A Sea of Possibilities: Paintings by Merion Estes” 1971-2006. (Retrospective.) Pomona  
             College Museum of Art. Claremont, CA. Curated by Rebecca McGrew. (Catalogue)
2005     “Contemporary Soliloquies On the Natural World.” Karen Carson, Merion Estes,
             Constance Mallinson, Margaret Nielsen and Takako Yamaguchi. USC Fisher Galleries,
             Los Angeles, CA. Curated by Max Schultz. (Catalogue)
2001    “Merion Estes, Paintings.” Irvine Fine Arts Center. Irvine, CA Curated by Carl Berg


Selected Group Exhibitions

2013     “Dangerous Beauties.” Stuart Haaga Gallery. Descanso Gardens, Glendale, CA
             curated by John O’Brien
2012     “The Nature of Things.” Ruth Bachofner Gallery, Santa Monica. Curated by
             Constance Mallinson and Virginia Katz
2011     Platform: “Los Angeles in the 70’s.” 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 David Eicholtz and Peter
             Frank.
2011     “AKA Zen.” David Richard Contemporary. Santa Fe, New Mexico.
2010     “Urban Nature.” Curator, Constance Mallinson. (On-line journal “Times
              Quotidian”)
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
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 Gallery. Los Angeles. (2004)  
   
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,
2000     “Cosmic Dermis” Rosamund Felsen Gallery. Curated by Gordon Haines. Santa
             Monica. Summer


Selected Articles & Reviews

2013    Barrie, Lita. Artweek.la/issue/July22. “Dangerous Beauties”
2013    Enholm, Molly. Art ltd. “Dangerous Beauties” July/August
2012    Frank, Peter. “Un-Natural” Fabrik Magazine. May.
2011    Frank, Peter. “Los Angeles Painting in the 1970’s” Art ltd. Sept.-Oct.
2011    Keinholtz, Lyn “L.A. Rising: So Cal Artists Before 1980” Getty Publications
2011    Powell-Wilson, MaLin. “California states of Mind” Albuquerque Journal North.
2011    Frank, Peter. “Merion Estes: Lost Horizons” Art ltd. November/December
2007    Mallinson, Constance. “Review of Merion Estes.” Art in America, December.
2006    Duncan, Michael. “Focus L.A.” Art in America. November
2006    Pagel, David. “Earth, Wind and Higher” Los Angeles Times. January 9
2006    Frank, Peter. “Pick of the Week” L.A. Weekly January 26
2005    Duncan, Michael, et al. “State of the Art: 100 Best Artists in L.A.” L.A. Weekly.
2004    Miles, Christopher. “Tracing Patterns” Art in America. February.
2003    Myers, Holly.“Redefining Boundaries of What’s Hip”. Los Angeles Times. July 28                     
2003    Frank, Peter. “Picks of the Week:” NYPD, LAPD” Los Angeles Weekly.
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.
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Links

https://www.facebook.com/merion.estes

http://cardwelljimmerson.com/#/2007-merion-estes/4521917204

http://www.pomona.edu/museum/exhibitions/2006/merion-estes/index.aspx

http://www.timesquotidian.com/2010/12/20/urbanature-merion-estes-roland-reiss-and-elizabeth-bryant/

http://www.artslant.com/global/artists/show/5589-merion-estes

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Contact

Address:
Merion Estes
4535 Starling Way
Los Angeles, CA 90065

Phone:
323.225.7091

Email:
merionestes@icloud.com



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Fruitless

2005
30" X 66" X 31"
Wood, yarn, paper mach and fiber.