Hickory Mertsching

Hickory Mertsching is a Portland, Oregon painter known for meticulous still lifes that pair natural specimens with human-made objects. Working primarily in oil, he brings an old-school nostalgia and rich, aged patina to thoroughly contemporary subjects.

Pacific Northwest wildlife runs throughout his work, from Cascades frogs to Townsend's chipmunks, rendered with the care of a natural history illustration and the wit of a storyteller. Each painting rewards a closer look.