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David Merrill papers

 Collection
Identifier: ACCN 2446

Scope and Contents

The David Merrill papers (1962-1998) contain correspondence, unpublished manuscript drafts, magazine covers and proofs, advertisements, and artwork.

Dates

  • 1962-1998

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Conditions Governing Use

The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library’s Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.

Biographical Sketch

David Wilkinson Merrill was born on 2 February 1942 in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was the only child of Harold Calderwood (Hal) and LaNae Wilkinson Merrill. He grew up in Salt Lake City and Bountiful, Utah and lived one year in Twin Falls, Idaho where he graduated from High School. He attended the University of Utah for two years before transferring to The Art Center School in Los Angeles where he graduated in 1965 with a double major in advertising design and illustration.

In 2001 he returned to Utah to leave the advertising business to start a career as a landscape painter. He studied for a year with Bonnie Posselli and participated in two co-op galleries in Park City, Utah. He was represented by Phillips Gallery in Salt Lake City and Juniper Sky Fine Arts Galley at Kayenta near St. George. In 2005 he opened David Merrill Gallery & Studio at 333 Main Street in Park City, Utah.

Merrill was married three times, in 1964 to Melinda Hunt in Los Angeles, in 1969 to Judith Retter in New York City, and in 1994 to Joanne Colvin in Westport, Connecticut. He had a son, Nicholas Merrill, with his second wife Judith Retter.

David Merrill died at the age of 66 on 24 December 2008 of lung cancer.

Extent

14.75 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The David Merrill papers (1962-2008) contain correspondence, manuscript drafts, magazine covers and proofs, advertisements, and artwork. Merrill was art director for Time magazine. He started his own design business, wrote several unpublished novels, and was a landscape painter.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated by Nicholas Merrill and Mike Wilkinson in 2009.

Separated Materials

Photographs were transferred to the Multimedia Division of Special Collections.

Processing Information

Processed by Betsey Welland in 2009.
Title
Inventory to the David Merrill papers
Author
Finding aid prepared by Betsey Welland.
Date
2009 (last modified: 2020)
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Repository Details

Part of the J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collections Repository

Contact:
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City Utah 84112 United States
801-581-8863