Jess Merritt

Artist Statement

Jess Merritt is a multidisciplinary artist who focuses on exploring and mapping the narrative of how identity changes as it passes through contemporary southwestern landscapes and liminal spaces, balancing the juxtaposition between landscapes/cityscapes, dream states/physical locations, and hope/loss.

Jess’ current media of choice are analog photography, watercolor paintings, and 3-dimensional paper forms and installations created using both mediums. She combines her love of photography with urban exploration and back country solo hiking, transporting her handmade cardboard camera with her as she explores badlands, canyons, and man-made concrete labyrinths. The sights documented on her wanderings frequently reoccur as elements of her paintings, mobiles, paper sculptures, and installations, all of which meet at the intersection between abstraction and surrealism. Jess’ works have been exhibited nationally.