Merlyn was born in England, and grew up in Hong Kong, returning to England to study Fine Art at Bath Academy of Art, Corsham, where she obtained a B.A., and from Bath University a Dip. Ed. She is a woodblock printmaker.
Merlyn is on the Council of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers.
2026
Eames Fine Art, London
COASTLINES - Norman Ackroyd in Good Company
17th January - 8th February 2026
Eames Fine Art, London
COASTLINES - Norman Ackroyd in Good Company
17th January - 8th February 2026
Society of Wood Engravers 88th Annual Exhibition,
opening at Bankside Gallery, London on February 26th, and then touring.
2025
The Burton Art Gallery and Museum, Bideford, Devon
Friends Annual Open
15th November- 21st December.
The Burton Art Gallery and Museum, Bideford, Devon
Friends Annual Open
15th November- 21st December.
Studio Kind, The Corn Store, Barnstaple.
Outpost: Contemporary Art in North Devon.
15th November- 20th December.
Bankside Gallery, London
The Mini Picture Show
28th November to 29th January 2026
The Mini Picture Show
28th November to 29th January 2026
Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair.
Exhibiting with Eames Fine Art.
13th-16th November
Sladers Yard - Annual Summer Exhibition 2025
19th July - 13th September
19th July - 13th September
Woolwich Contemporary, The Director’s Cut
On line until 31st August
On line until 31st August
MAKE Southwest Bovey Tracey, Devon
Member Show
28th June - 1st November
Winner of The President’s Prize , given by Peter Randall-Page
Member Show
28th June - 1st November
Winner of The President’s Prize , given by Peter Randall-Page
Society of Wood Engravers
87th Annual Travelling Exhibition
4th February - 8th November
87th Annual Travelling Exhibition
4th February - 8th November
Tim Marlow Selects at Bankside Gallery, London
45th Anniverary Exhibition
31st July-10th August
45th Anniverary Exhibition
31st July-10th August
Rachel Bebb Contemporary
Listen to the Quiet - Art and the Conservation of Life
17th May - 14th June
RE Original Prints at Bankside Gallery, London.
Winner of the Hawthorn Printmaking Prize.
2nd May - 8th June.
Art for Guernsey
Finding Turner 250th Anniversary
19th March - 21st June
Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers
Other Worlds: New works 11 Jan – 1st March
London Original Print Fair 2025
Somerset House, 20 -23 March 2025.
Somerset House, 20 -23 March 2025.
2024
- Sladers Yard, West Bay, Dorset.
- Rachel Bebb Contemporary, Hampshire
- Circle Contemporary Cornwall
- Bankside Gallery, London
- London Art Fair
- LUX, Lincoln Nebraska, USA
- Zillah Bell, Thirsk, Yorkshire
2023
Plough Arts Centre Torrington
Exhibition of work by artists from Welcombe and the Hartland Peninsula.
Group show running 25th February - 31st March
Plough Arts Centre Torrington
Exhibition of work by artists from Welcombe and the Hartland Peninsula.
Group show running 25th February - 31st March
Sladers Yard Contemporary Art, Furniture and Craft Gallery, West Bay, Bridport, Dorset.
'The Life That Springs'. Group show running 26th March -13th May.
Bankside Gallery, London
International Original Print Exhibition 2023 5th May - 2nd June
Rachel Bebb Contemporary
Spring Exhibition 2023 - Group show - 'Leaning into the Light' - 12th May - 10th June
Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
170 Annual Open Exhibition Summer 2023
Art Upstairs Gallery Bideford - 24 The Quay
'Openings' 29 Jul 2023 - 10 Sep 2023
- Circle Contemporary Wadebridge, Cornwall
- 'Arbor' at Sculpture by the Lakes Dorchester Dorset
- Battersea Affordable Art Fair with New Atlantic Wave Collective
- Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
- Bristol Society of Wood Engravers 86th Annual Exhibition
- RNLI fundraising exhibition , Yacht Club, Instow
- Appledore Book Festival
- Small but Mighty, Bankside, London
2022
London Original Print Fair at Somerset House London
5.37pm, a relief print with photo by Sally Byron-Johnson on the Bankside Gallery Stand (W16), 26th-29th May.
London Original Print Fair at Somerset House London
5.37pm, a relief print with photo by Sally Byron-Johnson on the Bankside Gallery Stand (W16), 26th-29th May.
LUX Center for the Arts, Lincoln , Nebraska
Two prints in Surface Impressions 2022. Show running from June 3rd-August 26th.
St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery, Lymington
Contemporary Cuts: Images of land and sea by leading British Printmakers
June 11th-July 16th
Contemporary Cuts: Images of land and sea by leading British Printmakers
June 11th-July 16th
Brook Gallery, Budleigh Salterton, Devon
Still Waters. Exhibition running from June 14th - Sept 6th.
As advertised in the Summer 2022 issue of the Royal Academy Magazine
Still Waters. Exhibition running from June 14th - Sept 6th.
As advertised in the Summer 2022 issue of the Royal Academy Magazine
Zillah Bell Gallery, Thirsk, N. Yorkshire
Pine Feroda and Elements. 02 Sep 22 - 17 Sep 22
Bankside Gallery, London
International Original Print Exhibition. 22nd Sept - 2nd Oct 2022
- 19th November - 4th December 2022. Christmas Exhibition Lanacre Barn Gallery, Withypool
2021
Circle Contemporary Gallery, Cornwall
In Spring 2021 - Group Exhibition | Floor 1
18 March - 20 June
Circle In Spring - a bright new show of work inspired by the natural landscape from our core and guest artists and makers.
ART FOCUS: Merlyn Chesterman
03 - 31 July | Floor 1
Circle Contemporary Gallery, Cornwall
In Spring 2021 - Group Exhibition | Floor 1
18 March - 20 June
Circle In Spring - a bright new show of work inspired by the natural landscape from our core and guest artists and makers.
ART FOCUS: Merlyn Chesterman
03 - 31 July | Floor 1
Bankside Gallery London - RE Original Prints 28th April-13th June
Devon Guild of Craftsmen - Spring Show 29th May -10th July.
- Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
2020
London Original Print Fair at the Royal Academy of Arts, London
With Brook Gallery
1st – 31st May
London Original Print Fair 2020
This year the London Original Print Fair will launch on the 1st May wherever you are!
Grab a cup or glass of your choice, get comfy and browse to your heart's content!
London Original Print Fair at the Royal Academy of Arts, London
With Brook Gallery
1st – 31st May
London Original Print Fair 2020
This year the London Original Print Fair will launch on the 1st May wherever you are!
Grab a cup or glass of your choice, get comfy and browse to your heart's content!
Society of Wood Engravers 82nd Annual Exhibition 2020, selected.
This show travels to Bankside Gallery in London, Zillah Bell in Thirsk, North Wall in Oxford, Northern Print in Newcastle and other venues during this Centenary Year.
This show travels to Bankside Gallery in London, Zillah Bell in Thirsk, North Wall in Oxford, Northern Print in Newcastle and other venues during this Centenary Year.
- Work on display at The Burton Art Gallery, Bideford, and the Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Bovey Tracey, Devon.
- Group Exhibition - CIRCLE Contemporary Cornwall UK
2019
- Lanacre Barn Gallery, Exmoor. September 20th-October 6th. Pine Feroda and individual work.
- Bankside Gallery, London, in group show throughout the year, including selected for The MASTERS : Relief, from 13th-24th November.
- Society of Wood Engravers Annual Exhibition 2019. Selected.
- Royal Society of Marine Artists Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries. 10th-19th October. Selected.
- Galeri Astley, GG Print Studio, Uttersberg, Sweden. Group exhibition.
- Group Exhibition - CIRCLE Contemporary Cornwall UK
2018
In November 2018 I did an extremely enjoyable residency at Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, in Hong Kong. The farm is involved in Nature conservation, education and sustainable living.
I made a woodcut on a large piece of camphor endgrain, from the hillside. It was hard wood but wonderfully compliant. I focused on native species, and learnt that one plant is pollinated by rats and bats, and another by civet cats.
I was very lucky and thrilled to be there at the same time as the renowned primatologist, Dame Jane Goodall. I remember well being shown a copy of National Geographic with a picture of her with chimpanzees at Gombe Park, on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania, when I was 14. I admired her then, and I admire her even more now. At 84, she is travelling the world, educating the young and encouraging them through Roots & Shoots to implement practical positive change for people, animals and the environment by providing teachers with free resources and activities. She has also founded the Jane Goodall Institute, a global organisation that empowers people to make a difference for all living things. She visited the Art house where I was printing, and I was honoured that she named my print, which makes it really special to me. ‘Kadoorie’s living tapestry’.’
I made a woodcut on a large piece of camphor endgrain, from the hillside. It was hard wood but wonderfully compliant. I focused on native species, and learnt that one plant is pollinated by rats and bats, and another by civet cats.
I was very lucky and thrilled to be there at the same time as the renowned primatologist, Dame Jane Goodall. I remember well being shown a copy of National Geographic with a picture of her with chimpanzees at Gombe Park, on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania, when I was 14. I admired her then, and I admire her even more now. At 84, she is travelling the world, educating the young and encouraging them through Roots & Shoots to implement practical positive change for people, animals and the environment by providing teachers with free resources and activities. She has also founded the Jane Goodall Institute, a global organisation that empowers people to make a difference for all living things. She visited the Art house where I was printing, and I was honoured that she named my print, which makes it really special to me. ‘Kadoorie’s living tapestry’.’
27th - 29th April 2018
Pine Feroda
Fresh: Contemporary Art Fair Showing with the Brook Gallery
Cheltenham Racecourse. Evesham Road, Prestbury, Cheltenham. GL50 4SH
www.freshartfair.net/
3rd - 6th May 2018
Pine Feroda
2018. London Original Print Fair. Showing with the Brook Gallery
Royal Academy of Art,Burlington House, Piccadilly, Mayfair, London. W1J 0BD
‘Northern light’ selected for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2018. Opens to the public from 12th June-19th August.
'THICKET' is being shown for the first time at the Zillah Bell Gallery, Thirsk, Yorkshire, in their WINTER EXHIBITION, from 8th December 2018-12th January 2019, alongside Norman Ackroyd’s latest suite of twelve etchings, showing on the same dates.
- MC and Pine Feroda at Circle Contemporary, Cornwall
- Exhibitor, Bankside Gallery, 48 Hopton Street, London, in group shows throughout the year.
- Exhibitor in The Society of Wood Engravers 81st Exhibition.
- Group Exhibition - CIRCLE Contemporary Cornwall UK
2017
- The Plough, Torrington
- Pine Feroda at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
- Pine Feroda at Surface Cutting at the Royal Academy, London,curated by Eileen Cooper RA.
- With Pine Feroda at The Drawing Schools, Eton College, Windsor.
- Group Exhibition - CIRCLE Contemporary Cornwall UK
2016
- Rebecca Hossack, 2a Conway Street, Fitzroy Square, London
- Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Bovey Tracey, Devon
- RE Original Prints, Bankside Gallery, 48 Hopton Street, London
- Group Exhibition - CIRCLE Contemporary Cornwall UK
2015
- Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, London - Atlantic roller
- Zillah Bell Gallery, Thirsk. Group show curated by Norman Ackroyd
2014
- Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, London - a prevailing wind
2013
- Royal Academy Summer Show, London - Bent tree
- Demonstrator, Art in Action, Oxfordshire
2012
- Shanghai International Printmaking Exhibition, China
2011
- Demonstrator, Art in Action, Oxfordshire
- "Spirit of the Tiger", a series of large woodcuts embodying the Asian tiger
2010
- Exhibitor in 9th Lessedra World Art Print Annual, Sofia, Bulgaria
- Exhibitor in Miniprint Finland, Lahti Art Museum
- One person show at Taller Galeria Fort, Cadaques, Spain
- Teacher and exhibitor at Art in Action, Waterperry, Oxfordshire
- Exhibitor, ‘Make’, at the Devon Guild of Craftsmen
- Exhibitor in the Society of Wood Engravers 73rd Annual Exhibition, Bankside, London
- Joint show with Philip and Frannie Leach at the Corinium Museum, Cirencester
2009
- Demonstrator and exhibitor, Art in Action, Waterperry, Oxfordshire
- Demonstrator and exhibitor, Cressing Temple
2008
- The Burton Art Gallery, Bideford, May’08, 2 person show
- Ruskin Mill, Gloucestershire, September’08, 2 person show
- ‘ Made To Think’. Short course tutor’s Summer Show at The Sussex Barn, West Dean College, Chichester
- Exhibitor in ‘Footprint’ 1st Biennial International Print Competition, Center for Contemporary Printmaking, Norwalk, U.S.
- Exhibitor in the Society of Wood Engravers 71st Annual Exhibition, Bankside, London
2001-2007
- Royal West of England Academy, Open Print, Bristol
- ‘Here and There’ one person show in Marine on St Croix, Minnesota for the Science Museum of Minnesota.
- North Devon Festival, two-person printmaking show at Appledore Craft Company. Society OF Wood Engravers 69th Annual Exhibition group touring show. Illustration in Monoprinting, pub. A&C Black
- Red Forge Collective Exhibition Corsham, Wilts
- Group Show, Stillwater Public Library, Science Museum of Minnesota
1985-2000
- Artwork for Wildlife Fund Thailand
- Illustration for Sawasdee, Thai Airways Inflight magazine
- Invitation by Royal Government of Bhutan to travel through Bhutan to promote the country through painting.
- One-person show at the National Liberal Club, Whitehall, London
- Manhattan Graphics, NY, group show
- The Walk, London, SE1, summer group show
1977-1985
- Contemporary Hong Kong Biennial Exhibition, City Hall
- Save the Children Fund Exhibition, The Mandarin, Hong Kong.
- Contemporary Hong Kong Biennial Exhibition, City Hall
- China Coast Community Exhibition, The Mandarin, Hong Kong
- One-person show at IDL, Lane Crawford’s: ‘Paintings and Illustrations of China and Bhutan’
- Contemporary Hong Kong Biennial Exhibition, City Hall
- Cover for Asia Week: The Dalai Lama
- Group show ‘Western Eyes Look at the Orient’, Landmark, Hong Kong
- Contemporary Hong Kong Biennial Exhibition, City Hall
- Winner of Urban Council Fine Arts Drawing Award
- Urban Council of Fine Arts Award Winners Exhibition, City Hall, Hong Kong
- Plant illustrations for ‘Twelve Hong Kong Walks’, published by OUP
WORK IN THE COLLECTIONS OF:
- City Hall Museum of Art, Permanent Collection, Hong Kong.
- Princess Ashi Tashi Dorji of Bhutan
- Lord & Lady Wilson of Tillyorn. Simon & Caroline Bowes Lyon, Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire
- The Edward James Foundation, West Dean College, Chichester
- The Victoria and Albert Museum, London
TEACHING:
- 2000 – 2010: Link Tutor with the Pupils Out Of School Team, Devon Learning and Development Partnership, Devon County Council
- 2005- 2022: Short Course Tutor, The Edward James Foundation, West Dean College, Chichester.
Woodblock Printing : Merlyn Chesterman - Patrick Goff writes