Locally inspired art by Glenwood native artist Marie Merten

Central Square is hosting a gallery reception for local artist Marie Merten this Sunday from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. 

Merten’s original paintings are perfect one-of-a-kind Christmas gifts for friends and family.

The exhibit is on display through December 31st and features over 25 paintings in oil and pastel, with a select few multimedia works. Merten’s impressionistic interpretations of the natural world offer a dreamy spectacle of flora and fauna. As an avid gardener, many of her pieces are inspired by the beauty found in her own backyard. 

When asked what inspires her work, Merten says, “I love to garden and landscape, and that is a huge source of my inspiration because I see all the butterflies, the bees and the birds. I love to integrate those natural things into my work.” Her inspiration expands beyond the confines of her yard, as she reflects on the different terrains of Minnesota, “From the North Shore’s palisades to Glenwood’s beautiful hills, and the woodlands, streams, and lakes in-between. There is beauty everywhere,” Merten adds.

Merten’s interest in art goes back to childhood where her budding talents were encouraged and nurtured by her family. That encouragement included attending a summer recreation program at Prospect Park, where the current Glenwood Elementary School stands. She recalls, “We lived close by, so we would walk there and do our outdoor education and arts and crafts, and I enjoyed it so much.” She continued to dabble in needle crafts and sewing as a creative outlet, but it was not until junior high school that her love for art grew into something more than a pastime. 

Merten attended Glenwood High School, now Central Square, where two of Glenwood’s beloved teachers, art teacher, Mr. Orlando Haugland, and English teacher, Mr. Lee Paulson were influential mentors who left a lasting impression on the young student. She has fond memories of both instructors who took an interest in her and her painting. They saw true artistic potential in her, thus nourishing a faith in her own abilities.

Despite Merten’s dreams of becoming a professional artist, life had other plans. She married, started a family, accepted a job at a local hospital, and put her artistic aspirations aside. To help satisfy her creative impulses during the 30-year hiatus she took from painting, she took up quilting. 

Many years later, her mentor and dear friend, Lee Paulson, was visiting a patient at the hospital and stopped to chat with Merten. “Say, Marie, are you still painting?” he asked. “I have a husband, two kids, and a dog. I don’t have time to paint!” she remembers thinking. “I didn’t have any supplies at the time either, but it always stuck in my head that Mr. Paulson remembered my artwork,” she says.

She reflected on Paulson’s words for many years before finally picking up the palette and paintbrush. The turning point came during a 2013 art tour in Alexandria when Merten met nationally known artist, Jean Ranstrom, who had moved to the area and opened an art studio. Merten immediately fell in love with the artist’s work and felt a strong connection to her style and use of oil and pastels. The encounter with Ranstrom ignited a fire in Merten. Not long after that fateful meeting, she began taking painting classes with Ranstrom who helped her overcome her fear of picking up the paintbrush and facing the blank canvas after a 30-year intermission. 

Through her work, Merten developed favorite mediums, “I love oil and pastel! Oils flow so nicely onto canvas. They have a nice sheen and richness that you just don’t get with water paints. Pastels are just fun. A brand-new box of pastels is like a collection of pretty little jewels that spark joy like a brand-new box of crayons does a small child.”

When asked about the importance of art today, Merten says, “Art tells a story about society and the times in which we live. It also gets you out of your own world. There are so many different forms of art that you kind of tell a story about yourself through your medium and it kind of expresses who we are as a person. I think it’s good for people to learn about other people in a kind of me, myself, and I world.” 

Currently, Merten’s work can be viewed, and purchased, during gallery hours, Monday through Thursday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. 

Reception date and time: Sunday, December 11th, from 1:30–3:00pm. This event is open to the public and free of charge. 

The Gallery reception will be followed by Mason Dixon Line’s “A Kickin’ Country Christmas.” Tom’s Food Market and Central Square will provide complimentary bakery treats, hot chocolate, and coffee for concert goers.

Tickets for A Kickin’ Country Christmas are available for sale at the Central Square office or through their website, centralsquare.org. Ticket price is $30 in advance and $35 on the day of the event.