A workspace with a butterfly illustration in a sketchbook, a yellow mechanical pencil, a wooden ruler, and a container of . There is a green book or box with a butterfly specimen, a green plant pot, and a plastic storage box with compartments of butterfly specimens.

Inside the Studio

Every painting begins long before the brush touches the panel.

These articles explore the quiet observations, compositional thinking, and processes that shape my work—from growing the flowers I paint to studying pollinators, composing with the Harmonic Armature, and documenting animal skulls from life. Whether you're discovering my paintings for the first time or looking to deepen your own creative practice, welcome.

Christine Mercer-Vernon 1/29/25 Christine Mercer-Vernon 1/29/25

Eye on the Arts } Interview with Carroll Community College

In February of 2020, I opened my first solo exhibition, only to have it shutdown two weeks later as covid exploded. This interview was a great peek into my process which informed my current body of work.

Christine Mercer-Vernon 7/11/24 Christine Mercer-Vernon 7/11/24

The Harmonic Armature: How I Composed this Rose Peony Painting

How I create complex floral paintings from life over a period of time using the principles of dynamic symmetry and the harmonic armature.

Christine Mercer-Vernon 7/8/24 Christine Mercer-Vernon 7/8/24

Magnolia Painting | Fighting Mother Nature

Pennsylvania springs can be pretty tricky for delicate magnolia blossoms, which makes painting them a matter of timing.

Christine Mercer-Vernon 6/21/24 Christine Mercer-Vernon 6/21/24

Painting Pink Peonies in the Hazy Glow of the Canadian Wildfire Smoke

When the Canadian wildfire smoke drifted into south central Pennsylvania, it offered an opportunity to paint these pink peonies in the filtered orange glow.