Merrikin Designs - About the Artist (Christine Musser)

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Artist: Christine Musser (nee Merrikin)

Phone: (425) 241-4484

Fax: (866) 334-3161

Paypal payments accepted online. If paying by credit card is desirable, information may be called or faxed to the numbers listed above.

Christine Musser

Fused glass is an exciting medium; the layering of colors and interaction of metals and other media within the glass creates new and sometimes unexpected results. The glass layers will often contain a partial image of a stencil or rubber stamp (courtesy of Dreamweaver, Judi Kins, and Magenta) or a punched copper shape which will then have additional hand drawn images on top which makes a cross between collage and painting.

Primarily an abstract painter, I decided to venture into glass about 8 years ago after completing a series of paintings on several layers of plexiglas (example below). The plexiglas paintings had parts of the composition on each layer which was then sandwiched to form the finished work. I wanted to expand on the idea of making a wearable form with a similar look to the acrylic paintings and subsequently found myself experimenting with fused glass. All of my glass work is done in my Pacific Northwest studio and signed in gold, platinum, and/or silver.

The barrettes feature several layers of glass, mixed media inside the glass and depending on the piece, detail line work in 18K gold or platinum on the top layer. The clip is attached using industrial strength glue and is a high quality "Made in France" finding (The French findings are top of the line and very durable ).

About the Artist:

With her grandfather being a painter and her father a woodcarver, Christine Musser (nee Merrikin) has known she wanted to be an artist since the age of 4. Shortly after graduating with a degree in Illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design, she moved into a small live/work studio in Seattle (Fremont neighborhood) and began painting abstracts on canvas, paper, and plexiglas (See below).

In addition to her paintings, Christine also paints on silk (silk scarves), creates fused glass wearable/functional art, makes mosaics (current project is a 5x5' chessboard), polymer clay figures/switchplates, and occasionally some freelance illustration work (and is at work on her first children's book). When not making art, she enjoys reading, chess, gardening, and woodworking. She also volunteers to teach art to elementary school students and is a coach for a local Jr. FIRST Lego League group. Private art instruction (children) also available in her home (Cost: $35 per student per hour, includes supplies)

Custom orders are welcome. Please contact Christine directly at merrikindesigns@hotmail.com.

PROCESS

Fused glass:

The glass becomes my “canvas” – which is assembled in layers, sometimes as many as five. This layering gives the glass not only a painterly but also a sculptural effect. Each layer may contain hand drawn illustrations, stamped/stenciled designs and/or metallic/glass elements.

The glass is fused in my home studio at 1500 degrees for 4-8 hours. Once cooled, I grind the edges of the glass and then return the piece to the kiln for firepolishing and/or slumping (the shaping of the glass).

Silk scarves:

Like the glass, the scarves are one of a kind creations. For the abstract pieces, I start with white silk and then create the composition without a preconceived sketch of the final design. This process is very similar to how I paint on canvas - the work becomes more improvisational but yet the colors used are recorded so that another scarf while not identical to the first can still be made to match the original color scheme. After the initial layer of color is applied, I then use gutta linework to add another layer of depth and to create the overall design. Steam set dyes are then added by using a watercolor brush. Once dried, the scarf is steamed for colorfastness and then washed/dried/ironed.

Some of my scarves contain felted wool and/or silk fibers. The felted accents not only add an interesting textural effect to the silk scarf but also add an extra element of warmth .

Being the practical person that I am, all of my silk scarves are handwashable. Simply wash by hand in cold water with Woolite or even shampoo and then follow with a liquid fabric softener and rinse. Gently wring the excess water out and line dry. While slightly damp, use iron on setting 2 or low.

		RESUME
EDUCATION:
	B.F.A	Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI. Graphic Design/Illustration major. 1986-1990.
	1989	Certificate in Bookbinding. Daniel Gibson Knowlton Co., Bristol, RI.

SOLO SHOWS (PAINTINGS):
	June, 1995	Troll Art, Seattle, Wa.
	Aug.-Sept.1995	Jim Howe – Fine Woodworking, Seattle, Wa.
	Dec., 1995	Empty Space Theater, Seattle, Wa.
	Sept., 1996	Troll Art, Seattle, Wa.
	Oct.-Nov., 1996	Bright Street Pub & Cafe, Seattle, Wa.
	Feb., 1997	Jim Howe – Fine Woodworking, Seattle, Wa.
	Sept.-Oct., 1997	Art/FX Gallery, Seattle, Wa.
	July-Aug., 2002	Art/FX Gallery, Seattle, Wa.

GROUP SHOWS (PAINTINGS):
	June, 1995-	Participant in the Fremont Art About (Art walk. Open studio.)
	June, 1996	Gallery 154, The Fremont Fine Arts Foundry, Seattle, Wa. “Exhibition Fremont.”
	July 1996	Gallery 154, The Fremont Fine Arts Foundry, Seattle, Wa. “Foundry Direct.” Featured works by the resident artists of the Foundry.
	July, 1996	The Black Citroen, Seattle, Wa. Featured works by Christine Merrikin and Roger Wheeler.
	Sept., 1997	SOLART. http://www.solart.com/artist/christine.merrikin. Web-based gallery.
	9/97 - 3/98	Art/FX Gallery, Seattle, Wa.
	10/98	Women's Art Group Show, Seattle Design Center, Seattle, Wa.

CRAFT SHOWS (FUSED GLASS/PAINTINGS/WEARABLE ART):
	2000-2004	Redmond Saturday Market
	1997, 1999, 2002	Museum of Northwest Art, MONA Style Wearable Art Show, La Conner, WA
	2002	RAGS Guild, Tacoma, WA.
	2003, 2004	Hilltop Holiday Show, Bellevue, WA.
	2004, 2005	Pickering Barn Craft Show, Issaquah, WA.

GALLERIES/STORES (WEARABLE ART):
	Museum of Northwest Art, La Conner, WA Pacific Science Center, Seattle, WA Seattle Opera, Seattle, WA Elements Gallery, Bellevue, WA Imagine Gallery, El Pedregal, Scottsdale, AZ Art/FX Gallery, Seattle, WA Frank & Dunya, Seattle, WA Rebecca's of Sarasota, Sarasota, FL The Marketplace on Broadway, Ocala, FL http://www.merrikindesigns.etsy.com (Merrikin Designs store) www.greenlifesavor.com http://www.vintagebuttons.net/dichroicbuttons.html

COLLECTIONS (PRIVATE):
	Tom Brokaw David Horsey, Seattle, WA.

REPRESENTATION:
	4/98-8/99	Women’s Art, Seattle, Wa. Fine art representative for Seattle, Puget Sound, Tacoma, Wa.
	4/98-9/99	Angela Pershnokov, Seattle, Wa. Apparel representative for silk scarf line(Mind’s Eye Cravats) in Washington State.
	7/98-8/01	Rebecca Timpel. Rebecca's Accessories, Atlanta Apparel Mart, Atlanta, Ga

AUCTIONS/BENEFITS:
	Apr., 1995	Very Special Arts Washington. “Art Hook.” Redhook Ale Brewery, Woodinville, Wa.
	Nov., 1995	Group Health Foundation. “Celebrate the Arts. 1995 Benefit Art Auction & Dinner.” Seattle Sheraton, Seattle, Wa.
	Nov., 1995	Children’s Hospital Guild Association. “Light Up a Child’s Life Auction.” Four Seasons Olympic Hotel, Seattle, Wa.
	July, 1997	Group Health Foundation/Woodland Park Zoological Society Auction, “1997 Jungle Party,” Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, Wa.
	May, 1998	Children’s Home Society. ”Here Comes the Sun.” Fairwood Golf and Country Club, Renton, Wa.
	Jan., 2003	Junior Women’s League of Tacoma, Tacoma, WA.
	Mar. 2008	Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Cole's Champions, Fife, WA.
	Nov., 2008	Harvest for Education, Rosa Parks Elementary School, Redmond, WA.
	Nov., 2009	Harvest for Education, Rosa Parks Elementary School, Redmond, WA.

ORGANIZATIONS:
	1994	Member, Art Not Terminal Gallery, Seattle, WA.
	1995	Member, Fremont Arts Council, Seattle, WA.
	1996-8	Member, Fremont Art About, Seattle, WA.
	2009-	Member, Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI)

FREELANCE EXPERIENCE:
	1988	New Directory of Apartments and Condominiums, Providence, RI. Photographed condominium complex in color. Published in 1988 edition of directory.
	1988	New Directory of Restaurants, Providence, RI. Designed cover of publication (illustration and layout). Unpublished.
	2009	Label for Ragged Aces Ale. Illustration created in Adoble Illustrator and Photoshop.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
	1989	Rhode Island School of Design Museum, Providence, RI. Assisted instructor of children's art class. Assisted with development of lesson plan. Prepared materials needed for class. Instructed children in use of materials. Critiqued students’ work.
	1989	Prospect Heights Housing Project, Pawtucket, RI. Part of Attorney General James O'Neill's "Straight to School" program. Taught class of 20 pupils with 2 other R.I.S.D. students on site. Developed the curriculum with intent to build students' self-esteem. Critiqued students’ work. Encouraged use of unfamiliar materials to create artwork. Displayed students’ work in exhibition at housing project at the end of the semester.
	2008-	Volunteer art instructor at Rosa Parks Elementary School, Redmond, WA. Develop lesson plan to reinforce classroom curriculum. Instruct students on use of various materials. Display student work in exhibition at end of the school year.

AWARDS:
	1989	Certificate of Appreciation for “Jumpstart Yourself Straight...to School Program”, Department of Attorney General, RI..
	2009	Designed label 2009 Brew magazine label competition (http://www.byo.com/component/resource/article/1942-2009-label-contest-winners). Won Honorable Mention.

MISCELLANEOUS:
	2006	Appeared on "That's Clever" (HGTV Network). Demonstrated silk scarf painting technique and fused glass process. Episode #: HCLVR-219. Scarf demonstration can be seen here. Fused glass barrette demonstration can be seen here.