MY STORY

Hi! I'm Alisha. The artist behind Alisha Merrick Art and the brick and mortar shop, FERN.

My artistic journey began with jewelry. Specifically with the feeling I still get when I think about the small collection of costume jewelry that was my grandmothers and how I spent countless hours on her bed arranging and rearranging it into what I now identify as collections.

As a young girl I was mesmerized by the shiny objects, pretty shapes, and glamour of it all. Joy and beauty with nostalgic value far higher than the materials from which they were made.  

After college I began to travel to woodsy and coastal places and became acutely aware of the effect it had on my overall well-being. I was calmer, happier, and more inspired with each step. Nature, with its unending shapes, patterns, and colors, provides a lifetime of material for artistic creativity.

It has always been easy for me to see the beauty in ordinary things. On hikes I meander, easily distracted to stop and take pictures, macro and micro, for use in future pieces. I collect seeds and pods, ferns and mosses, flowers and rocks. The tiny things making up the giant bigness of the whole. 

My work is a reflection of these things. An emotional connection to the necessity of beautiful things, merged with my strongly rooted love of nature. The same natural palates, organic patterns, and minimal designs repeat themselves over and over in my work.

I strive for a balance of these influences in each intentionally made, hand fabricated piece. Interesting color combinations, sometimes bold, often muted, that echo the inherent beauty of the shapes and patterns found in nature. Every artistic creation is unique, and that is something to be embraced and celebrated.

I want my pieces to evoke a sense of joy and tranquility in each of you, to elicit happy memories. I have a strong need to make pretty things and am lucky enough to do it from an incredibly beautiful island in the Pacific Northwest.

Sustainability

Since nature is my biggest inspiration and I live on a gorgeous island it is important to me that I am doing everything I can to have a small impact on the environment.

All of my packaging is now 100% recyclable! The products sold in my store, FERN, are all plastic free and made of natural materials, right here in the USA, by small businesses. I source recycled metals for my jewelry, too. 

Education

I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in enameling from The Cleveland Institute of Art and continue to have passion for creating nature inspired pieces in shiny colored glass. I also like to paint and draw and sew and take pictures.