Katerina Mertikas (b. 1957)
Title: The Christmas Carolers
Medium: Acrylic on masonite
Size: 8” x 10” (16 3/8” x 18 5/16” framed) …………… $590.00 Canadian
Dating to the mid-career period that made her famous as an international UNICEF artist, this work is a classic example of Katerina Mertikas’s “naïve expressionism” style. This piece represents a highly desirable, compact 8″ x 10″ format that packs in an entire festive winter scene—including three carolers holding sheet music, a decorated streetlamp, snow-covered trees, and a small dog. Collectors highly value small “jewel box” pieces like this because they display the artist’s full signature style and vibrant palette without requiring a massive amount of wall space.
Painting on a rigid masonite panel allowed Mertikas to apply her fast-drying acrylics with a smooth, vibrant quality, creating strong contrasts against the deep blue twilight background. While the artwork itself is an intimate format, it holds a substantial wall presence due to its custom gold and linen-textured framing. This piece mirrors the exact size and style of Joy of Winter, making them an exceptional opportunity for a collector to acquire a matching pair of Canadian contemporary folk art.
The painting is housed in a multi-matted ornate gold gallery frame that shows slight, age-appropriate wear naturally fitting its vintage era. This framing preserves the classic presentation chosen during her peak promotional years. For collectors and appraisers, the unmistakable brushwork, thematic composition, and bold signature in the lower-left corner serve as a solid mark of authenticity.
Copyright of the artist and or the artist estate.