Merrilyn Duzy
West Hills, CA
Based in Southern California, Merrilyn Duzy earned her MFA from Otis institute. She is known for her paintings of the cosmos, landscapes and portraiture.
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Merrilyn Duzy - Biography – July 2025
Growing up was an adventure and a challenge. We lived in semi-rural Pacoima, in the San Fernando Valley. I was born in 1946 to what was already a dysfunctional family. School became my big escape. I knew I was an artist from a very young age. I took care of my younger siblings, so my free time was reading and making art. That sense of self and purpose was my saving grace. Those early years of my family’s conflicts and my struggles became the source and impetus of my art.
My Visual acuity came early. One Easter, when I was three years old, I was given a basket of brightly dyed Easter eggs, and even now I see them vividly, brilliant blue, green, pink, and yellow eggs. I remember the cold, dark green walls of my parents’ bedroom and the warm green pepper tree in our front yard. The first box of Crayola crayons I received contained 64 magical colors, opening up a new world for me. I became enchanted by the night skies of mid-century Pacoima, with a canopy of shining stars that inspired my lifelong love of cosmic imagery and the wonders of the universe.
My Catholic upbringing sparked my spiritual self and became the impetus for my erotic art. Around the time of puberty, I discovered religious literature, where images of saints—bondage and ecstasy—became intertwined with my own body’s changes and awakening sexuality. From that point on, I developed a fascination with the erotic.
Despite financial challenges and personal turmoil, it took me ten years to complete my Bachelor of Fine Arts at California State University, Northridge. School remained a safe haven, and I am forever grateful for the many friends whose support helped me survive and thrive.
In the mid-1970s, the National Women’s Caucus for Art was formed in New York with regional chapters across the country. I joined the Southern California Chapter in 1976 and became President in 1980. For our National Conference in San Francisco, we created a performance titled “Women Artists Past & Present,” aiming to showcase the work of women artists and highlight their absence in art history texts.
Learning about these artists inspired me to capture on canvas what I had seen and experienced on stage, leading to my “Women Artists in History” series. This series features contemporary women artists portrayed in the costumes and settings of their historical counterparts. In 1982, I moved to the Tampa Bay area in Florida, where I created my illustrated lecture, “Walking Through History: Women Artists Past & Present,” which I have presented from coast to coast and in several other countries.
Returning to California in 1986, I resumed my art studies at the Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles, earning my Master of Fine Arts in 1988. I continued to focus on portraiture but faced a shocking setback when my best portrait, that of artist Peggy Mosheim, was stolen off the wall during a graduate exhibit. This devastating experience left me unable to pursue figurative work for several years. I suppose I should have felt flattered that someone admired my work enough to commit a felony to own it, but I would have preferred they simply purchased it.
I turned inward and found a renewal of my spiritual side with “The Creation Series,” which includes the paintings “Rho Ophiuchus: The Mother of Newborn Stars” and “Back of Beyond.” This series led me to create large landscapes infused with a touch of eroticism, such as “Night Canyon,” which celebrates the sexual ritual of the sacred marriage between a god and goddess.
A few years after graduation, I resumed painting portraits, starting with one of Louise Bourgeois, whom I met during my work on the women’s erotic art book. She, along with many other artists I met during that time, became a lifelong friend.
In the subsequent years, I continued to paint, curate exhibitions, lecture on topics including the cosmos, erotica, spirituality, and women artists, and teach art courses—activities I still engage in today. I owe special thanks to my husband, Howard Bentkower, whose support allowed me to travel extensively around the world. Many of my vacations coincided with his work trips, and I have exhibited my artwork in even more countries. Experiencing diverse cultures through art and travel has provided me with the best education I could have asked for.
Statement
Art Statement - general-'25
I am passionate about the rich sensuousness of oil paints, the tactile strokes of pastels, and the vibrant fire of encaustics, often incorporating mixed media into my work. My primary subjects include people, particularly portraits of those I know, as well as landscapes, skyscapes, and cosmic themes.
I love to experiment with different media and concepts, especially when I’m unsure about the outcome. This is evident in my cosmic and language series, where I explore the evolution of communication from ancient times to the present. I ponder how intelligent beings in our universe might communicate. If the laws of physics are consistent, would these beings also rely on symbols and graphic elements to convey messages? These inquiries have fueled my ongoing explorations of space.
In 1980, I participated in the Women’s Caucus for Art’s event “Women Artists in History,” where I represented Georgia O’Keeffe and Cecilia Beaux. The research I conducted for this project, along with my involvement, inspired my “Women Artists in History” paintings and lecture. Through this lecture and my artwork, I aim to share the lives and achievements of many historical women artists, as I believe it is essential to keep their contributions alive.
Women Artists in History
The inspiration for the "Women Artists in History" series came from my participation in a performance that explored the lives and works of historical women artists. While waiting in the wings for my turn on stage, I watched Dona Geib portray Gwen John, a 19th-century English artist. Dona stood on stage in a long white dress with mutton sleeves, positioned in front of a projection of Gwen John’s painting, "A Corner of the Artists' Room." It felt as though Dona was stepping right out of the painting itself. At that moment, I thought, "Wouldn't that make a wonderful painting?" This led me to create a series of contemporary women artists depicted in the costumes and settings of their historical counterparts. Additionally, inspired by that performance, I developed an illustrated slide lecture titled "Walking Through History: Women Artists Past & Present."
" The women artists' paintings are a series of pictures, each completely different in style and handling, utilizing Merrilyn's personal friends as portrait stand-ins for historical figures... the paintings present a robust celebration in color and detail of an exclusive, lively, and friendly art history..."
Scott Grieger
"...highly theatrical in approach, each portrait is also a mise-en-scene of the period in which the artist once worked. Most depict a well-known painting by the character being played...such pictures open a window into a woman-centered world we do not often see, through the eyes of a first-rate artist."
Mary Alice Cline
"LANGUAGE" &"LANGUAGE PALIMPSEST" SERIES
The "Language" and "Language Palimpsest" series are mixed media pieces created on wood panels. They incorporate paint, ink, paper, string, and metallic dust, and explore themes of language systems, sacred geometry, symbols, and cosmic imagery. In this two-language series, I investigate the evolution of communication, from the pictographs found in cave paintings to the diverse languages used throughout history. Additionally, I have included one of my passions: quotations. These quotes relate to creation and the universe and are sourced from artists, astronomers, poets, and writers.
Through my research on different writing systems, I began to ponder communication with other intelligent beings in our universe and the commonalities in our methods of expression. If all entities are subject to the same physics—such as gravity, space, and time—would they not also rely on symbols to communicate?
In some artworks, viewers must interact with the piece to uncover more graphic elements and quotations. This engagement encourages a deeper connection with the artwork.
My further exploration of ancient language systems led to the creation of the "Language Palimpsest" series. The term "palimpsest" reflects my technique of sanding down the underlying layers to reveal remnants and traces of past elements. This series also incorporates modern languages, sacred geometry, and various symbols from different belief systems.
COSMIC SERIES
The "Cosmic Series" consists of mixed media works on Arches paper that reflect my intense love for astronomy, the universe, and creation myths. These paintings are abstract manifestations of my spiritual self. I have incorporated graphic elements from various languages, universal symbols, diverse photographic images, and my observations of the night sky. The artworks express the joy and awe I experience in our vast universe, highlighting the shared "star stuff" that connects us on Earth to those distant points of light.
As a young girl, when I gazed into the night sky, the planets and stars represented my vision of heaven. They sparked a longing for connection to a creator and a desire to be part of a grand plan, prompting me to question my identity and purpose. Now, as an adult, I continue to embrace the awe and deep emotions evoked by the vastness of the night sky. However, I have expanded my initial curiosity with knowledge gained from reading and studying. This ongoing fascination fuels my ability to create a diverse range of artworks.
COSMIC IMAGERY QUOTES
From the review of "Quarks to Quasars" (1997)
...Duzy's work... deals directly with familiar and perhaps romantic visual stimuli of the star-filled night sky. (such as "Back of Beyond and "Rhythmatics on the Cosmic Stage") Duzy takes her space impetus fairly seriously, as a subject at once untouchable and more real than a newspaper.
"...Space. per se, makes rare appearances in fine art settings, possibly in part because of our fear of its magnitude and inscrutability. It's something we take for granted, admire in awe, and sometimes cower beneath, duly humbled. Maybe it's high time more artists gave it the time of day."
Josef Woodward
"Duzy has derived the whirling shapes and colors of her painting, "Maya," which means illusion in Hindi, from an image she created on a computer. The foundation of the computer image was a photograph of Duzy twirling around (masked) in a cape by Mario Casilli, which she scanned into the computer.
The painting, though, with its glittery matter sprinkled about to convey a buoyant, starry atmosphere, presents a tangible texture that is not available from a computer image.
Nancy Kapitanoff
LANDSCAPES
Color is fundamental to the artistic expression of Merrilyn Duzy, serving as a vital element that resonates throughout her paintings and amplifies her profound responses to the natural world. Her landscapes are not merely representations of scenery; they are part of an ongoing, in-depth investigation into Earth's creation and the intricate relationship between humanity and the environment. Duzy articulates her artistic philosophy by stating, "...with lush colors and flowing lines, I infuse the pieces with the universal emotions we experience when we are connected to nature." Through her work, she seeks to evoke the feelings of harmony, peace, and wonder that arise from being in tune with the beauty and complexity of the natural landscape.
COLLAGES
"I work with a diverse array of media, including digital platforms, traditional materials, and found objects, exploring a wide range of subjects that capture the complexity of modern life. One of my primary focuses is creating intricate collages crafted from the discarded remnants of our media-saturated society, such as old magazines, newspapers, and advertisements. These collages are deeply rooted in my childhood experiences, where I would spend hours immersed in the colorful pages of magazines, which served as my main source of visual inspiration.
The variety of subjects, shapes, and vibrant colors in my materials allows for imaginative juxtapositions that challenge viewers' perceptions. I aim to blend elements of humor and whimsy, crafting visual narratives that invite interpretation and engagement. This playful exuberance, combined with the diverse imagery I collect, provides me with seemingly endless opportunities to explore different themes and subjects in my collages, ultimately reflecting the chaos and beauty of contemporary life."