THE STUDIO OF NICOLE MERKENS

I will be Studio #36 this year for the Eldorado Studio Tour. Please join me again at my studio this year for the 2026 Eldorado Studio Tour September 20 & 21. 10AM-5pm both days. I look forward to showing you what I have been working on. www.eldoradoarts.org  See you in September, Nicole

  COC 2026 Clay Speaks of Home at Santa Fe Community College -- a reflection. BY Nicole Merkens Full Review can be found here. By Nicole Merkens I slipped in early to see Celebration of Clay 2026 Clay Speaks of Home at Santa Fe Community College. The opening reception was set for March 5 from 4 to 6 pm at the Visual Arts Gallery, 6401 Richards Avenue in Santa Fe. I wanted the quiet before the crowd. I wanted to hear the work breathe. The Visual Arts Gallery at the Santa Fe Community College, with the show, Clay Speaks of Home. Photo by Nicole Merkens.  This year the show was blind juried by Elizabeth Hunt, Santa Fe, Serit deLopaz Kotowski, Taos, and Mary Sharp Davis, Albuquerque.  Seventy-six artists as well as the jurors stepped forward to wrestle with the notion “Clay Speaks of Home.” That topic is not simple. It is loaded. It carries dust, memory, grief, safety and longing. The gallery was full. Pieces lined the space in every shape and size. There were more ...

I am so honored to have my ceramic piece, "Be Still My Heart" 34"hx13"wx11"d for the "Las Damas X Ominum Existential Work From New Mexico's Female Artists" Show at the Ominum Gallery in Taos, NM featured in the Tempo Magazine of the Taos News. Jan 29- Feb 4, 2026 edition. The opening on Saturday night was hopping with the art scene of Taos and people came from all over the state.  Below are some amazing shots taken by the amazing photographer Bill Curry. www.curryimages.com  instagram : @billcurryphotographer  The show is up until March 22 at Omnihum Gallery Taos, NM. https://www.omnihum.life/ OmniHum Gallery 246 Ledoux Street Taos, NM

  I was asked to create a piece with the focus being " HOME" for a show. After much journaling and introspect I bring you "Where Am I Going? Where Have I Been". She is 29"h x 11"wx6.5"d. I don't usually like to start work with a direction ( I like the universe to dictate where I am at the moment- and ultimately the universe did). "This work is a deep dive into “home” the ever-shifting landscape where the heart learns to root, uproot, and root again. Home is the place you carry like a reliquary: tucked in small boxes, hung in frames, pressed against the tender chambers of memory. Each one is an altar of what has nourished you… and what has undone you.  When you have moved twelve times, you learn to shapeshift. Your roots grow shallow from necessity, lifted again and again before they ever reach the deep water. With every move, something is left behind; friends, lovers, versions of yourself you’ll never meet again. You start to ask: Should I st...

Come on out to the annual Eldorado Arts and Crafts Association Studio tour in Eldorado of Santa Fe, NM. Visit over 100 artists studios during the weekend of September 19th 2025. Preview night is Friday September 19 where you can plan your weekend visits by seeing a smattering of work from all the artists participating. Sept 20-21 are the days you are welcome to visit and buy from the artists 10 am- 5 pm. Come see me at my studio 42 Balsa Rd Santa Fe, NM 87508. See you there!    

  Come party with the Las Damas of New Mexico June 14 6-9pm. June 14th One Night Only! Las Damas: Artists of New Mexico presents OPEN|Inside the Studios of New Mexico's Artists, a summer exhibition and sale celebrating the vibrant creativity of female artists across the state. Traditionally curated by invitation, this year's show marks Las Damas' first open call, welcoming a diverse array of artistic voices and fostering a spirit of connection and exchange within the creative community. Hosted at Muses Santa Fe, the exhibition offers a unique opportunity to experience the breadth of talent among New Mexico's female artists. All artworks are priced under $500, ensuring accessibility for collectors and encouraging meaningful exchanges within the artistic community. A portion of the proceeds will support future Las Damas programming, reinforcing the organization's commitment to nurturing and showcasing women's artistry throughout New Mexico.​ Event Details: Date: S...