Artwork copyright Deborah Mersky. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2016.

Artwork copyright Deborah Mersky. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2021.

Double Dragonfly, 1988

Deborah Mersky
(American, born 1955)

Location: Tacoma Community College, Tacoma

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Artist Deborah Mersky composed the diptych Double Dragonfly as an exploration of balance and repetition. The overall image contains two of the same clay print, with one panel inverted. The dragonfly figures are surrounded by images of knives and horseshoes, which for the artist symbolize a suspicion of good luck.

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Granite Falls School District.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Artist Deborah Mersky creates artworks in a variety of media, including painting, prints, and large-scale public installations. She notes, "The overlapping worlds of nature and human habitation on earth is what interests me, particularly the delicate, off kilter moment we currently reside in."

Deborah Mersky grew up in Austin, Texas, lived in Seattle for many years, and now lives near Johnson City, Texas. She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of Washington in Seattle and has been exhibiting her work since 1980.