PATRICK MERRILL: Prints from the Permanent Collection, 2004–2009

Patrick Merrill (1948-2012) was a master printmaker and mixed-media artist known for his monumental woodcuts, etchings, and lithography. His work transformed personal experience and societal concerns into compelling explorations of war, patriarchy, faith, and human resilience. Through complex compositions, Merrill often placed sacred iconography alongside scenes from everyday life, forging unexpected connections between historical narratives and contemporary realities. Drawn from the gallery’s holdings, the exhibition features Merrill’s “Apocalypse” series, a body of work inspired by the Book of Revelation. For Merrill, “apocalypse” was less about an ending than an act of revealing. Through layers of imagery and allegorical figures, he used the visual language of Revelation to expose the fears, determinations, and systems of power that continue to shape the world we inhabit. These works represent one of the most ambitious projects of Merrill’s career, bringing together the technical mastery, symbolic intricacy, and intellectual rigor that defined his practice. ABOUT THE ARTIST Patrick Merrill received degrees in Printmaking from CSU Long Beach (BFA) and CSU Fullerton (MFA). He has exhibited at select art venues, including the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art (Santa Ana, CA), the Palos Verdes Art Center (Palos Verdes, CA), and the Purdue University Galleries (Lafayette, IN). His work is held in the collections of the Brand Library (Glendale, CA), the Benton Museum of Art at Pomona College (Claremont, CA), and the CSUF College of the Arts Galleries (Fullerton, CA). From 1997 to 2010, he served as Director and Curator of the W. Keith and Janet Kellogg University Art Gallery at Cal Poly Pomona. Organized by CSUF College of the Arts Galleries and curated by Jennifer Frias, Director/Curator, and Jaden Chavarria, Curatorial Assistant (Art History ’26). Exhibition Design by Adeline Wong (Graphic and Interactive Design, ’26) and Clark Meregillano (Entertainment Art/Animation, ’27). Support for the program comes from Debra Winters, the Art Alliance, CSUF’s Instructional Related Activities Grant, the College of the Arts, and the Department of Visual Arts.