Artist Statement, Patty Meriam

Celebrating the healing power of art and nature in a time of excess and waste that I call the Exploitocene Epoch.

I am driven by a protective response to my communities, concern for the survival of biodiversity on the planet, and admiration of nature’s ability to heal itself and others.  

I am a painter, research-based multimedia artist, and conservator who uses painting and digital media to respond to land commodification, over consumption, and pollution.  My paintings invite conscious awareness of one’s closeness to nature, both physically and philosophically. They capture material details and repetitive patterns that defy chaos. Grounded in environmental, climate, and social justice movements since the 1960s, my videos, photographs, and installations are a call to political action. They examine the impact of material misuse, waste, fossil fuels, and disruptions to ecological viability – challenging passivity. My current work focuses on how we assign value to the materials we use daily. It also questions how our desires conflict with sustainable living.