Merritt Eby Gates

Instagram:
@merrittsart – visual art page
@merrittrunsfree – travel photography page
@drawfromtheroots – expressive art page

Over the course of many years, my art has developed into a living archive of conversations with myself, inspired by my double quest: to reconnect with source in the magical way that children are connected; and to reconnect with source in the wild way that is innate in women’s nature. Imagination and dreams play a major part in guiding my artistic practice, as they have guided me throughout my life.

So much of my work has to do with longing, longing for connection and community, longing for friendship.  I feel great kinship with animals and a deep sense of safety around them, and so my work and worlds are populated with animals.  When I tell my story, the boundaries between my human form and the animal world dissolve and it feels healing.  I grew up far away from grandparents, and so somehow Trees and Mountains became my surrogate grandparents, the Ocean my great great great grandparents.

Though I have a tendency to descend into the abyss, I always come out brighter, clearer, stronger and connected. I aspire to alchemise heavy experiences and emotions through art, transmuting physical materials that are laden with painful memories into something beautiful. My art focuses on mental health, because I’ve overcome many challenges on the mental/emotional field. This path has naturally led me to learn and incorporate expressive art therapy modalities into my work, and with time, share my learnings with others. I love holding space, especially for the flow of creativity, for the muse to come around, for art and beauty to be recognized and born, for healing to occur.

I was born in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, and was raised by world. I thought I’d be a nomad forever, but somehow, East Africa has held on to my hat for more than a decade.