Christine Mercer-Vernon

Christine Mercer-Vernon is a contemporary painter living and working in south central Pennsylvania. Motivated by nature’s ephemeral tendency, her paintings are hopeful and symbolic reminders, not of beauty, but that nature is energetic, ever-changing, and impermanent.

Born near Philadelphia, her early years were spent just outside the city, later relocating to the mountains of northern Pennsylvania. Surrounded by woods and streams, she spent her time exploring nature on her terms, developing a deep curiosity for the natural world.

After graduating college with a degree in graphic arts, she worked for twenty years as a medical and educational textbook illustrator and graphic designer. Building on college art classes, she continued painting at night, studying with representational artists such as Carlo Russo and Jon DeMartin and exhibiting in galleries along the eastern shore.

“With each painting, I seek to understand the balance between beauty and impermanence. Compositions are carefully designed, yet leave room for the spontaneity of painting from life. Isolating subjects, I aim to make them vulnerable to the viewer—allowing consideration without distraction. It’s important that each painting feel hopeful, yet acknowledge the fleeting nature of life itself.”

* This statement has been provided directly by the artist in association to their 16^th International ARC Salon entries. This content has not been edited for typos or grammatical errors and has not been vetted for accuracy.