Sweet Slumber - Great Horned Owl Painting

Sitting at her childhood dining table about an hour south of Amsterdam is where Marieke Mertz’s love for creating began. With a stack of white paper and a simple pencil, she drew the faces from her mother’s magazines and sketched animals and plants, fascinated by their beauty and detail. Over the years, she explored different media, always returning to art as a source of joy, curiosity, and connection. Today, Marieke works with professional-grade oil paint and mixed media on canvas in a contemporary style. Layering textures to create depth and using spontaneous brushstrokes to convey movement, she weaves together themes of hope, belonging, wellness, compassion, and advocacy for good. Her paintings often feature wildlife, human connection, birds, and the serenity of nature—inviting viewers to pause, reflect, and see the beauty that exists all around them. At the heart of her art is the belief that each of us matters, and that we can choose to live in ways that nurture rather than harm. Her work is rooted in a vision of a world where compassion guides our actions and wellness is part of everyday life. Her goal is not only to create something beautiful, but to spark conversations and reflection that remind us we each have the power to make a difference. Born and raised in the Netherlands, Marieke has made her home in the Pacific Northwest for many years. Being part of an international family, she is dedicated to honoring diversity in her work. A certified Oregon Naturalist, she has a big heart for wildlife and uses her art to advocate for nature conservation, while highlighting the essential role nature plays in our own well-being.