Biography
Merrill French was born in New Jersey and currently resides in Northwestern Connecticut. She received a B.S. from West Virginia Wesleyan College and did graduate work at West Virginia University. Merrill has won numerous awards, including the Catherine L. Wolfe Award, the Elizabeth Stanton Blake Award and Medals of Honor from the National Association of Women Artists in New York in 2016 and 2011. She exhibits her work nationally, primarily in New York and New England. In 2015 she completed a large commission of twenty paintings depicting some of the historical buildings, parks and cityscapes in New York City. Merrill’s artwork is widely collected and included in several public collections, including the Belfast Free Library, Belfast, ME, Adams & Company, New York, NY and the Jane Voorhees Zimmerlie Art Museum, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ.
Education
West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV | Graduate Studies
West Virginia Wesleyan College, Buckhannon, WV | B.S.
Permanent Collections
Mattatuck Museum of Art, Waterbury, CT
Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
Selected Exhibitions
2021
New Britain Museum of American Art, Waturbury, CT | award - second prize
2020
Mattatuck Museum of Art, Waterbury, CT solo show juror - Richard Michelson Connecticut Academy of Fine Art juried virtual exhibition
National Association of Women Artists juried virtual exhibition
2019
CT Academy of Fine Art, Mystic Museum of Art, Mystic, CT
Juried exhibition | Scott Bricher and Paul Baylock, Jurors
New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, Ct
Juried exhibition | Nicholas Bell, Juror
2018
New Britain Museum of American Art
Juried exhibition | Stephanie Haboush Plunkett Juror
2017
Mattatuck Museum of Art, Waterbury, CT^Juried exhibition | Meg White Juror
2016
Cooper & Smith Gallery, Essex, CT | Solo Exhibitions
Beamesderfer Gallery Invitational | NAWA, Highland Park, NJ | Curated by Jeffrey Wechsler
Sylvia Wald & Po Kim Gallery, New York, NY| NAWA Exhibition
Francesca Anderson Fine Art, Lexington, MA
New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT
Juror: Judy McElhone | Juried Exhibition
2015
Francesca Anderson Fine Art, Lexington, MA
National Association of Women Artists, New York, NY
Washington Art Association, Washington Depot, CT
Juror: William Bailey | National Juried Exhibition
2014
Francesca Anderson Fine Art, Lexington, MA
New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT | Juried Exhibition
Morris Museum, Morristown, NJ | NAWA Exhibition
2013
Francesca Anderson Fine Art, Lexington, MA
Lady Audrey’s Gallery, Millerton, NY
Sylvia Wald & Po Kim Gallery, New York, NY| NAWA Exhibition
2012
Francesca Anderson Fine Art, Lexington, MA
New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT | Juried Exhibition
2011
Francesca Anderson Fine Art, Lexington, MA
Lady Audrey’s Gallery, Millerton, NY
National Association of Women Artists, New York, NY
2010
Lady Audrey’s Gallery, Millerton, NY | Solo Exhibition
Francesca Anderson Fine Art, Lexington, MA
New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT | Juried Exhibition
2009
Francesca Anderson Fine Art, Lexington, MA
Lady Audrey’s Gallery, Millerton, NY
Sylvia Wald & Po Kim Gallery, New York, NY| NAWA Exhibition
2008
Loring Art Gallery, Sheffield, MA
New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT | Juried Exhibition
2007
Loring Art Gallery, Sheffield, MA
National Association of Women Artists, New York, NY
2006
Loring Art Gallery, Sheffield, MA | Solo Exhibition
New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT | Juried Exhibition
Sylvia Wald & Po Kim Gallery, New York, NY| NAWA Exhibition
2004
Loring Art Gallery, Sheffield, MA
New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT | Juried Exhibition
2003
Maine’s Massachusetts House Gallery, Lincolnville, ME
Loring Art Gallery, Sheffield, MA
National Association of Women Artists, New York, NY
2002
Maine’s Massachusetts House Gallery, Lincolnville, ME
Loring Art Gallery, Sheffield, MA
New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT | Juried Exhibition
2001
Cavalier Gallery, Greenwich, CT
Loring Art Gallery, Sheffield, MA
National Association of Women Artists, New York, NY
2000
Loring Art Gallery, Sheffield, MA | Solo Exhibition
Cavalier Gallery, Greenwich, CT
New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT | Juried Exhibition
1999
Cavalier Gallery, Greenwich, CT
Litchfield Guild of Artists, Litchfield, CT
Northern Westchester County Arts Center, Mt. Kisco, NY
1998
The Stage Gallery, Merrick, NY
Loring Art Gallery, Sheffield, MA
1997
Cavalier Gallery, Greenwich, CT
Kent Art Association, Kent, CT | Juried Exhibition
1996
Pump House Art Gallery, Hartford, CT | 2 Person Exhibition
New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT | Juried Exhibition
Litchfield Guild of Artists, Litchfield, CT
1995
Kent Art Association, Kent, CT | Juried Exhibition
Mattatuck Museum, Waterbury CT | Juried Exhibition
Litchfield Guild of Artists, Litchfield, CT
1994
International Women’s Exhibition, Perdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Mattatuck Museum, Waterbury CT | Juried Exhibition
New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT | Juried Exhibition
1993
Fine Line Art Gallery, Woodbury, CT | Solo Exhibition
Mattatuck Museum, Waterbury CT | Juried Exhibition
1992
International Women’s Exhibition, Perdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Kent Art Association, Kent, CT | Juried Exhibition
1991
Greater Hartford Architectural Conservancy, Hartford, CT
Mattatuck Museum, Waterbury CT | Juried Exhibition
1990
Kent Art Association, Kent, CT | Juried Exhibition
National Association of Women Artists, New York, NY
Selected Awards
New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT - second prize - juror - Cristina Tafuri
Mattatuck Museum, Waterbury, CT - first prize with a solo show, Juror - Richard Michelson
Dorothy L. Irish Memorial Award, National Association of Women Artists, New York, NY
Medal of Honor, NAWA, New York, NY | 2016, 2011
Elizabeth Stanton Blake Award, NAWA, New York, NY | 2016, 2011
Catherine L. Wolfe Merit Award, New York, NY
Salmagundi Club Award for Excellence, New York, NY
W. Earl Moore Award, Trumbell Arts Festival, Trumbell, CT
Grumbacher Art Award, Ridgefield Guild of Artists, Ridgefield, CT
Dick Blick Award, Connecticut Women’s Artists
Sharon Creative Arts Foundation, Sharon, CT
Gold Medal, Kent Art Association, Kent