Biography:

David Merrill attended the University of Utah for two years before transferring to the Art Center School in Los Angeles. He graduated in 1965 with majors in both Illustration and Advertising Design.

For six years he was an advertising art director with Ogilvy & Mather in New York on such blue chip accounts as American Express, IBM, International Paper, Mercedes-Benz, Sears and Zippo.

From 1971 through 1977 he was the art director of TIME magazine where he was responsible for the overall look of the magazine while designing and art directing several hundred TIME covers.

In 1977 he founded David Merrill Design and over the next 23 years designed or redesigned more than 100 publications.

In 2001 he relocated to Park City and began a new career in landscape painting with the same enthusiasm that served him well in both advertising and publishing.

After having several outlets in Park City since 2003, he opened David Merrill Gallery & Studio in October 2005 at 333 Main Street where he also represents several other Utah artists.

Artist's Statement:

When I was seven my second grade teacher sent home a note saying, “David has artistic talent and should be encouraged.” I always knew what I wanted to be when I grew up, just not how many avenues there would be. I’ve been asked recently if I’m sorry that I didn’t begin painting full-time earlier and my answer is, no, I enjoyed my first two careers almost as much as this new one. As an emerging old artist I’ll just have to work harder and paint faster to catch up.

I love painting water and its reflections, the dramatic colors of skies and the abstract shapes of clouds, the shadows of aspen across the snow and light-play on redrock landscapes. For all of my painting I much prefer the side-light of early morning and late afternoon. While I enjoy and appreciate the value of plein air painting, I always carry a camera to capture those fleeting moments of changing light and color.

Kudos:

August 2005 - Featured artist (47 paintings) Gallery at the Station, Ogden, Utah

July 2005 - Two entries accepted in the Arts for the Parks mini 100

July 2005 - Deseret News Days of ’47 juried landscape show

2004-2005 - Four group shows at Phillips Gallery, Salt Lake City

July 2004 - Deseret News Days of ’47 juried landscape show 
                 (Honorable Mention - sixth place of 263 entries)

2003-2005 – Several Good Cause Fundraisers, including – Arts Kids, Park City (2), 
                 Entrada (2), Kimball Art Center, Utah Museum of Fine Arts, “Art in Bloom,” 

Summer 2004 - Began representation by Phillips Gallery, Salt Lake City 
                 and Datura Gallery, Ivins, Utah.

2003-2004 - Two Group Shows, Park City Professional Artists Association, 
                 at the Kimball Art Center in Park City

July 4, 2003 - Sold first painting at Park City Art, a co-op gallery,
                 to Amy Cashio of Birmingham, Alabama.
                 It was an 11x14 of cows in a meadow for $750.