Merrill Densmore (1943 - 2006)

Merrill Densmore was born in the mid 1940's in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom and lived in St. Johnsbury, Vermont in his later years. Densmore started to paint by using “paint by numbers” and drawing with crayons. He began working with the GRACE program in 1994 where he was introduced to acrylic paint. Densmore created highly patterned, boldly colored acrylics on panel as well as works on paper. His paintings depict the Vermont landscape, scenes that often include mountains, clouds, cows, moose, houses, and country roads. He was a prolific painter and continually experimented with new techniques. Densmore’s work was exhibited in numerous shows in Vermont as well as outside the region. His paintings are represented in the traveling exhibition “Signals and Messages: Celebrating 25 Years of GRACE.” Merrill Densmore passed away suddenly in 2006. His artistic legacy will live on through the GRACE program.  (biography adapted from GRACE)