By BONNIE OWEN

Joan Merrick has been an artist her entire life. She received her B.A. in Art Education from Cal State L.A., and took graduate studies in Art History and Textiles at San Diego State University.

Merrick taught art in Los Angeles middle schools and high schools, and textile design at Grossmont College. Her experience also includes years of managing a store that specialized in fabrics for the home.

Additionally, Merrick has studied with Joan Austin, Skip Lawrence, Robert Burridge, Marie Wordell and Annette Lotuso Paquette. These experiences contribute to her lavish use of color and pattern in her painting, and the use of patterned, textured collage papers in the work. She even creates her own handmade batik papers.

The female figure is Merrick’s favorite subject.

She is a signature member of San Diego Watercolor Society, and a member of Foothills Gallery in La Mesa and her work can be seen on their websites: www.dws.org and www.foothillsartassociation.com respectively.