Collection Chad Merrill from JustArts Gallery

Discovery

Collection: Chad Merrill

Chad is an artist from Mesa, AZ, whose main mediums are painting and writing, with particular attention to ink painting and poetry.

“I have seen and exercised the darkest part of my nature, I've revealed and encouraged the demons of others. I know the thrill and taste of blood and have learned that the world only owns one thing worthy of fear - the darkness of self.

Whichever direction you go - into the dark or into the light - you must master yourself. We who have the capacity to delve the darkest depths mirror that capacity in our ability to pursue the lofty throne of greatness. Because of this, darkness which leads one to hunger for the light, is the greatest of pursuits. This is my journey, I continue to climb from the realm of self-despise, and through the medium of my art, seek a liberation that only a very few can know - in the absence of pitch black darkness, light owns no meaning.

I am the epitome of killing one's self to live where agony and bliss show themselves to be identical in the intersections of existence. That is where my art comes from and it's why tortured souls like Cobain, Cornell, Doc, X, - are most often the medium of my expression. One paints what he knows and if I know anything, I know self-torture and despise. I paint to liberate myself, to know I can create beauty as well as despair.”

Chad is featured in an online exhibition and blog post through Bader + Simon Gallery.

See more of Chad’s artwork here and follow him on IG @chadmerrillart.

Chad Merrill
Mojo Rising

Ink emptied from ballpoint pen, painted with toothbrush

12 x 9 in

$150

Chad Merrill
Untitled

Ink from ballpoint pen and other found materials, painted with toothbrush

12 x 9 in

$175

Chad Merrill
Untitled

Ink from ballpoint pen and other found materials, painted with toothbrush

9 x 12 in

$175

Please note that all artwork is being shared with the full consent of the artists. Please do not make use of any of the artwork you see here without reaching out to us or the artist directly.

JustArts Gallery (Tulsa, OK) is a not-for-profit, community-rooted project fiscally sponsored by The Third Space Foundation. We partner with systems-impacted artists across the country—most of them currently incarcerated—to host exhibitions and public programs that foster connection and challenge carceral narratives. Our space is a hub for collective learning, healing, and organizing at the intersection of the arts and justice. All proceeds from art sales go directly to the artists or their designated loved ones unless they choose otherwise.

JustArts offers strategic support to organizations, educators, and advocates working to build more just and inclusive arts ecosystems. With over 15 years of experience working with artists in prison, we collaborate with partners nationwide to uplift creative expression as a powerful act of resistance, identity, and possibility.