Midwest Maker Series: Mary Merkel-Hess

Mary Merkel-Hess (American, b. 1949) is an Iowa-based artist nationally recognized for her exquisite paper vessels and sculptures inspired by the prairie landscapes and natural environments of her home state. Using a distinctive technique of hand-painted paper cord layered over molded forms, she creates abstract representations of Midwestern grasses, seasons and sky. Her exhibition is the inaugural installment of University Museums' Midwest Maker Series, celebrating the range of creativity throughout Iowa and the Midwest.

Mary Merkel-Hess creates paper vessels and sculptures inspired by Iowa’s landscapes, where she was born and still lives. Her MFA work with folded metalwork at the University of Iowa led her to paper, where she became nationally recognized for cord vessels with frilled edges evoking natural forms.

Beyond cord vessels, she explores folded and structured sculptures, Gampi paper lanterns, wall-mounted works, and collages that experiment with color and layering. The University Museums’ Midwest Maker Series highlights her work and her role in expanding paper’s creative possibilities while celebrating Iowa’s artistic landscape.