Merle Perlmutter

Perlmutter was born in London, England. She has received the New York State Council for the Arts Fellowship in 1975-76. She has received over forty awards including the Louis Lozowik Award 1988; Audubon Artists, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1995; Hunterdon National Print Competition 1989, 1990; Del Bello Gallery International Miniature Competition, Toronto, Canada 1987; Printmaking Council of New Jersey 1978, 1984; Society of American Graphic Artists, 1973, 1978, 1980, 1990, 1991, 1997; Boston Printmakers 1977; Silvermine Guild of Artists National 1976.  Perlmutter has been exhibited extensively in solo and group shows nationally & internationally. 

Perlmutter’s work is in the Collection of: Museo Rufino Tamayo, Chupultepec, Mexico; New York Public Library Print Collection; Portland Museum of Art, Oregon; Housatonic Museum of Art, CT; Newark Library, NJ; Hunterdon Art center, NJ; Hudson River Museum, NY; DeCordovia and Dana Museum, Lincoln, MA; Musee De Petit format, Couvin, Belgium; University of Dallas, TX; among others.

“Interior environments figure prominently in my etchings. I find them a most fascinating vehicle to create with - each etching spurs the next as with clues in an investigation. The inherent qualities of the medium coalesce with my particular focus on light and shadow. Intense blacks, subtle grays, and their interplay can be expressed in etching in ways never possible in painting or other media. Velvety blacks & transitional grays can remain elusive requiring specific inking applications. This compelled me to develop new methods of using a soft-ground mezzotint combination: adding tone by dipping in acid and revealing light with subtle scraping."