Redwoods 2 was privately commissioned by a collector who wanted a piece to reflect the area where they grew up.

Trees are as varied and unique as people. Some seem to dance. Others stand guard. They are constantly changing. Their bark shreds and sheds, their leaves change colors and drop, and they grow. Often they overwhelm us by their sheer size. Like the story of the blind men and the elephant, trees must be described in parts. The base, the trunk, the crown - each element contributes to the whole.

This piece was commissioned by a private collector and depicts "The Bachelor and Three Graces", iconic sequoias in Yosemite's Mariposa Grove.

The edge between land and sea is not a fixed line. It is constantly defining itself with new patterns of water on sand. Miles and miles of beach are pounded, stroked, and gently washed by layer upon layer of water. Beaches are created, softly sloping into the surf. Cliffs are carved out of what had seemed to be solid rock. The one constant is that the shoreline is ever-evolving. All we can observe is a moment in time.

Location - California Environmental Protection Agency's headquarters Part of an eight-piece series commissioned for Cal/EPA’s headquarters, each collage represents a geographic feature unique to California.  The collages are each on their own floor, arranged vertically by elevation - with Mt. Shasta on the top floor and Monterey Bay Canyon on the lowest floor.

This is one of a five-piece series, commissioned as public art for the City Hall in Sacramento, California (known as the “City of Trees”). Individual tree parts are linked vertically through the building, with the roots on the first floor, (Tree Part 1), and the leaf canopy on the top floor (Tree Part 5). Each collage depicts a different species, focusing on the importance of diversity in our urban forests and in our community.

This is part of a two-piece series commissioned for a private home in San Francisco. The two collages are located on either side of a fireplace.

This was a private commission.  It is based on photos provided by the client of a favorite park in their home state.

This was a private commission.  It was designed specifically to go over the fireplace mantle in the client’s home.

Despite clearly representing a branch, this piece also presents itself as an abstract image.

MERLE AXELRAD

MERLE AXELRAD

PAINTING WITH FABRIC