Artist Statement

My love of art in its various forms goes back to my childhood. Living in the Santa Cruz Mountains with my parents and grandparents, I was blessed to have the love of art and craft modeled to me by two prior generations of women. The entire attic of our mountain home was filled with flowers and gourds etc. hanging from cloths lines in preparation for painting in color groups. These items would later be used to create beautiful natural floral arrangements. My mother and grandmother were also talented in the areas of sewing, crocheting, upholstering and other forms of home décor. As a young wife and mother I pursued similar interests and always had my hand in some sort of home decorating project.

After my son was older I returned to college to pursue a career in children’s and mental health services. The education and career that followed was a huge part of my life and took much of my energy for the next 28 years. While this life work was gratifying in many ways it did not feed that inner need for beauty and creativity.

In 2007 I took an interest in jewelry making and by 2008 I was making and selling my own work. This has become a great passion for me as I continue to expand into new areas of this exciting art form. I love the look and feel of the many natural types of stones and gems and the various types of precious metal. I am especially fond of sterling silver for the way it sets off the stones and the interest that is added by wrapping or accenting the stones with silver wire or other silver components. There is also a vast array of art glass and Swarovski crystal components available and these add great sparkle and variation to my designs.

I retired from my social work career in 2009 and am excited to have more time now to grow my art and to enjoy the beauty of this medium.

About Kathy Merrill
Kathy is a resident of Stockton California but has many friends and family members in and around Sisters Oregon. She enjoys coming to Sisters and Bend Oregon for visits and to enjoy the beauty of the area.

Education: Bachelor Degree in Social Work from University of California at Sacramento.

Gallery Representation:
Don Terra Artworks, 222W Hood Ave, Sisters, Oregon
The Red Door Artisans Market Place, 128 N Broadnax St., Dadeville, Alabama

Artist Code:  KAM