Review: ELEANOR MERRITT ART EXHIBIT at Arts And Cultural Alliance Of Sarasota County

There is a lot to be said about anything that lasts 60 years these days. Eleanor Merritt has been painting in all types of medias for that period of time. The recent showing of her artistry highlights her journey as we stand before each piece and marvel at her artistic growth, diversity of techniques and brilliant use of colors and textures. Two favorites that stood out were a painting of her grandmother and a homage to her mother, an infusion of brush strokes and materials.

As your peruse her gallery, her work is mostly figurative in nature and exudes personal expressions that radiate from her heart. Her heart is as rich and colorful as the paintings seen on her canvasses. Much of her renderings don't look as though they were created by the same artist. Eleanor makes political affirmations in some pieces, statements about the conditions of women and roles they play, connections to her ancestry, and a focus on spirituality in others.

Eleanor noted a turning point in her career was when she transitioned from oils, to acrylics and finally water-based media, which gave her more fluidity in line and brush. Lending itself to more abstract images, her creative use of collage and mixed-media techniques bring a new dimension to her more recent work. We can't wait to see what comes next from this creative artist and her distinct stance at the palette.

A native New Yorker, Ms Merritt graduated from the Hight School of Music & Art, receiving her BA and MA degrees in Fine Arts and Education from Brooklyn College CUNY. You can view more of Ms Merritt's compositions at www.eleanormerritt.com.