Merry Jo Carter's subjective portraiture captures the essence of life in
vibrant watercolor and bold india ink.
She is inspired by the strength & vulnerability of the alternative beauties that grace her
life and social media feed.
"I enjoy the alternative beauty That scrolls across my feed. I admire these people I paint
and want to recreate their beauty while rewriting their story with my own perception. I
don't know these strangers, but I would like to, and so I paint them." She shrugs, "And
so I draw them to get to know them better."
Carter's art inspires the viewer to explore further, to look beyond the surface-level
veneer for the inner essence that shines through the eyes, the wisdom that speaks in
the silences. Her art explores themes of feminism, body positivity, radical love and
(self)-acceptance, sensuality, desire, raw human emotion, and the natural world.
Merry Jo Carter lives and works in Portland, Or. She further beautifies the world as a
part-time hairdresser. She paints and draws all day and enjoys lazing about with her
partner and cat.