Meet Meryl Meisler

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Meryl Meisler a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Meryl with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

My parents, Jack Meisler and Sunny (Sylvia) Meisler née Schulman, were honest, hard-working people who modeled and instilled strong work ethics in my older brother Kenneth, younger brother Mitchell, and me, the middle child. Dad was a printer. As newlyweds, Jack and Sylvia worked to save money so Jack could open his own business, Excel Printing Company. Dad worked six days a week, 12-hour days including his commuting time, was kind and genuinely interested in his customers and employees, and took pride in his work. In the 1950s, Sunny became a full-time mom who did volunteer work. When my younger brother Mitch was in school, she wanted to return to work to help save for our college educations. At first, Sunny sold auto parts to gas stations and then started Genée Cosmetics, a small business, with her friend Helene. Then, she began her full-time job as a “head hunter,” an employment counselor specializing in accountants. Sunny’s pseudonym as a head hunter was Marion Hale. She especially loved finding jobs for women. Marion excelled as a head hunter. To this day, my siblings’ families and I employ an accountant our mom found a job for. They encouraged us to take the opportunity they never had because of growing up in poverty to go to college and pursue the profession of our choice. Ken became a sports podiatrist. Mitch parlayed his journalism background into finance. When I told my parents I wanted to become an art major, they said fine under the condition that I got a teaching degree so I could always make a living. We all became successful and respected in our chosen fields while having our hobbies, passions, family, and friends. Mom and Dad taught us to be honest, reliable, tenacious, and take pride and joy in our work. We inherited our work ethic from our parents.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am an visual artist whose medium is photography. As a young woman, I was a freelance illustrator and then became a NYC Public School Art Teacher. Throughout my 31-year full-time teaching career (for which I received national recognition for my work with children), I continued creating and exhibiting my artwork. Upon retirement in 2010, I started revealing large bodies of photography series in exhibitions and books. My work is represented by CLAMP, New York, and POLKA, Paris. My fourth book “Meryl Meisler Street Walker” will be published by EYESHOT, designed and printed in Italy. “Street Walker” is available by pre-order only through September 30, 2024. After that, no additional copies will be printed. It is destined to become a collector’s item. Order your copies here: https://tinyurl.com/3w8xhs6k

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I will focus on the qualities and skills that made my journey as a photographer whose work now receives recognition from curators, gallerists, critics, and collectors.
• Be tenacious. Never give up doing what you love.
• Find a supportive community, mentors, and peers with similar passions who encourage and help one another.
• Print your best work archivally, sign and date it. Before you know it, you will have “vintage prints” that are considered more valuable to curators and collectors.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

My most significant area of growth and improvement in the past 12 months was the honor of my first-ever solo museum exhibition, followed by four group museum exhibits in the coming year.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.merylmeisler.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/merylmeisler/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/merylmeisler
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meryl-meisler-6495a813/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@merylmeisler/videos
• Other: https://clampart.com/2020/02/meryl-meisler/#thumbnails

  https://www.polkagalerie.com/fr/meryl-meisler-travaux.htm

  https://www.eyeshotstreetphotography.com/shop/books/street-walker-by-meryl-meisler/

Image Credits

Cover of Meryl Meisler’s fourth book “Meryl Meisler Street Walker”, published by EYESHOT 2024

Images fro “Meryl Meisler Street Walker”

A&W Carhop, North of San Francisco, CA, August 1970

Judi Jupiter Seeing is Believing, Times Square, NY, NY, June 1978

Man in Van, Times Square, NY, NY, July 1978

Vincent Piccarelli’s Summer in The ’70s, N. Massapequa, NY, August 1975

Trunk Sale Near LUNDYS, Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, NY, September 1978

Coned Canine Sniffs Hydrant Near JudiJupiter, NY, NY, June 1978

Marion Cleans Our Window, N. Massapequa, NY, August 1976

Twin Toddlers and Doll in Strollers, NY, NY, May 1978