Painting is my passion, as well as my profession. I was classically trained and have been heavily influenced by the 19th century masters. My dog paintings were inspired by the 19th century English dog painters I discovered in William Secord’s Dog Painting books and, of course, my dog, Lily. My work is shown at Lora Schlesinger Gallery in Santa Monica, CA. www.loraschlesinger.com
A dedicated mother who discovered her talents later in life, but no less fulfilled. Artist Kim Merrill is well-versed in multiple mediums, and speaks frankly about her path to becoming a "real" artist when she thought that it was only reserved for an elite few. An encouraging story for anyone who was afraid they didn't have what it took to express themselves in art.
Resume
Born :1956 Minneapolis, MN
Education
2008 MFA, Painting,
Laguna College of Art and Design, Laguna Beach, CA
BFA 2004
2004 BFA Painting,
Laguna College of Art and Design, Laguna Beach, CA
Teaching
2006-2009 academic year;
Laguna College of Art and Design
Collections
David Judson, Judson Studios
Cynthia and Michael Sitton
Christian Science Church, Boston, MA
Laguna College of Art and Design
Bruce and Donna Polichar
Cory and Elizabeth Kahn
Bernie Gainey
Publications
2009 Daily News Los Angeles, Online
2009 THE Magazine, Online
2009 ArtScene Magazine
2004 Coastline Pilot
2002 Christian Science Sentinel, cover
Exhibitions and Juried Shows
2009 May-July Owensboro Museum,
Owensboro, KY
2008 Dec-Feb 2009 RW Norton Art Gallery, Shreveport, LA
2008 July Koplin Del Rio Gallery,
“Contemporary Realist Painting and Drawing”
2008 July-Nov Springfield Museum, Springfield, Massachusetts “The New Reality:
The Frontier of Realism in the 21st Century”
2008 Apr-June Wichita Art Museum “The New Reality:
The Frontier of Realism in the 21st Century”
2007 Nov Hunsaker/Schlesinger Fine Art, ‘The Toy Show’
2007 Mar Kings Art Center, Hanford, CA
2006 Oct Seven Degrees Gallery,
Laguna Beach, CA ‘LCAD Alumni Show’
2006 Sept Fairhaven Mausoleum,
Santa Ana, CA, “Filling in the Pauses”
2006 Sept Laguna College of Art and Design,
“Faculty Exhibit”
2006 Sept Manitou Galleries, Santa Fe, NM
“International Guild of Realism Members Exhibit”
2006 May Hunsaker/Schlesinger Fine Art
2005 Laguna Art Museum
2005 Pan American Gallery, Dallas, Texas,
“International Guild of Realism Members Exhibit”
2004 Laguna College of Art and Design, “Alumni Show”
2004 The Phoenix Gallery, Vermont
Commissions
Lieutenant Commander Gregory Grabowski
Richard Holcomb
Cory and Elizabeth Kahn
Bernie Gainey
Molly Barnes
Cory and Elizabeth Kahn
Bernie Gainey
Affiliations
Oil Painters of America
International Guild of Realism
Portrait Society of America
This is Lily. I should say she is ‘my dog’, but she is so much more, she is my friend, roommate, muse, studio companion, etc. Lily is a four year old Shiba Inu and for those of you that are not familiar with the breed, she is fiercely independent, funny, prone to bolt, playful, inquisitive, smart, bossy and loyal. Lily also has her own cat! She was doing some naughty things when I would leave the house, so I found her a fabulous rescue cat we named Luca. They are great friends and wrestle like two dogs. Luca likes to catch lizards and bring them to Lily so they can play with them together.
They are two peas in a pod…
Coming soon: "Unleashed" book of portraits.
FAQ
Reccomendation for painters: I have found a resource for the most incredible hand made, historical mediums. These mediums are far superior to any commercial medium I have ever used. My favorite is the Gentileschi Amber Medium, which creates a wonderful ‘satiny’ feel to the paint, stays workable all day, and yet, will be dry enough to paint on top of the next morning. Give them a try…you won’t be disappointed! www.jamescgroves.com
