Merickel is a new SHS student teacher

Sisters’ resident and artist Abigail Merickel is Mike Baynes’ student teacher for this trimester in the Sisters High School art department. Merickel has an extensive background in printmaking and in January will teach a unit on printmaking to students in the advanced art class.

Merickel is a native of Northern Minnesota and was educated at the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice, Italy. She has been actively involved in the art world as an award winning painter and multi-media printmaker, instructor and world traveler. Merickel draws on inspiration from her classical European training steeped in art history and also reaches back to her love of American Folk Art. Her works are vivid in color and storytelling.

Merickel lived in Europe for many years, studied language and culture in Spain, painting and printmaking in Italy and mixed media art in England.

Merickel told The Nugget that she is excited to be able to do printmaking (which includes many different techniques such as silk screen, lithographs, etchings, woodcuts, aquatints and mixed media) at SHS.

“Sisters High School already has an exceptional art program created by Mike Baynes,” said Merickel, “and I’m excited to be able to teach the students about printmaking.

“Recently, in the world of printmaking, new techniques have been created in the Pacific Northwest which reduces the dangers of chemicals used in traditional printmaking. With these new technologies right in our backyard it’s great the students at SHS will now have access to a printing press and will be able to explore and experience in depth the medium of printmaking.”