Meryl Pataky

Originally from South Florida, Meryl Pataky relocated to the Bay Area in 2002 and has been creating work that relates to her concept of universal connectedness ever since. First and foremost, Pataky is a materialist. And for the past seven years neon has been her material of choice.

Meryl began what she calls her “ongoing challenge with neon” when she took a required class for her sculpture major at the Academy of Art in San Francisco. Under the tutelage of a former special effects artist for Star Wars and Back to the Future, Meryl honed her skills by perfecting the craft of bending neon letters.

Her initial work reflected the practicality of neon and the tradition of signage, but she soon realized that she needed to return to her roots as a multi-media artist or else risk being labeled a sign-maker.

Since then, Meryl has incorporated animal hides, mushrooms, gold leaf and succulents into her neon work. “I like to combine materials in ways that tell stories of their origins,” she says, “I’m trying to take the sign out of it.”

Despite this, Meryl has had the purely text-based piece she created for Limited Edition in the back of her mind for a while. “I’ve been thinking more and more about that quote as this year progressed. And I felt it would have been a missed opportunity if I didn’t make it right now.” The minimal text serves to emphasize the message of hope and perseverance that she believes are essential during the current social and political climate.