Anne Merkley

Pocatello, Idaho

Artist's Statement

I began to draw at age two. I placed first with a self-portrait in an Art Instruction national competition, also winning Sweepstakes and Spectator's Choice with a painting at the Eastern Idaho State Fair, while still in high school.

I earned Bachelors and Masters of Fine Art degrees from Idaho State University, and taught drawing, portrait and figure drawing, and painting classes in the Art Department and through the Craft Shop and Continuing Education. Over a period of forty years I've taught people of all ages, in high school and community programs, especially for the Pocatello Art Center, plus private classes and lessons.

Many of my drawings, paintings, photographs, collages, and bronze sculptures are in private collections and public places, including the Pocatello Federal Building and the Stephens Performing Arts Center. I've done dozens of portrait commissions, had numerous one-woman shows and been juried into shows locally, regionally, and nationally. The Gate City Fine Arts Gallery in Pocatello has represented me since 2009.

Recent awards include first in the 2007 Idaho Watercolor Society annual show and third place and honorable mention in 2009. In 2008 I had three meritorious entries in the Richeson School international portrait competition; in 2009 I received second in Water Media, and in 2010 sent three paintings to the juried exhibition. In 2008 I also won best of show in the Art Source Gallery national exhibit, had two paintings travel in the Top 100 Paint the Parks, and received Juror's Award at the annual Pastel Society of the Northern Rockies. 2010 brought me Spectator's Choice at Idaho Paints Idaho, and Best of Show at the Eastern Idaho State Fair for the third year in a row.

I am fascinated with abstract qualities in realism and reality in the abstract. Thus I work in both genres. I am also in love with light, as there would be no color or form without it.