Meridy Volz

Visiting Artist and Instructor
"I love color. My work is best described as gestural, expressionist with an impressionist palette. I use the figure in all my work to express passion and sensuality. My paintings are rendered in oils and my drawings are pastels and oil pastels. I use texture (impasto) and stroke to create a vibrant movement of energy, and the intensity of color interplay to create a mood.

Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I received a scholarship at the age of six to attend the Milwaukee Art Center. I spent most of my time in art rooms of my high school, and began rendering portraits at age sixteen. I graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1971 with a B.S. in art education. Here I wrote and illustrated Children’s books for the Rockefeller Foundation. I moved to San Francisco, CA in 1976. Here I began to show extensively, and win awards and critical acclaim. I also taught painting workshops to prisoners of San Quentin Penitentiary.

In 1977, I gave birth to my daughter, Alia (my greatest creation.) She also is my favorite model.

In 1998, I moved to Puerto Vallarta, where tropical colors have been added to my palette. I exhibited at Galeria Pacifico for three seasons, and now I am exhibiting my work at Galleria Dante. I teach life drawing at the instituto del Arte. I do portraits a by commission."

http://www.galleriadante.com/artists2/volz,_meridy.htm