Marilyn Burkhardt

Marilyn Burkhardt’s multidisciplinary artistic practice—spanning painting, printmaking, and sculpture—is deeply rooted in her love of animals and the natural world. Her work often reflects her emotional conflict with society’s treatment of animals; she grapples with how people can adore their pets while supporting practices like hunting and industrial slaughter. These ethical tensions inspire much of her creative expression.

Originally from Missouri, Marilyn moved to Oregon to attend the University of Oregon, where she studied both art and writing, ultimately earning an MFA in Creative Writing. After graduation, she pursued bronze casting at Lane Community College, creating a series of horse sculptures. Her curiosity and dedication to technique led her to Paris, where she studied color etching under William Stanley Hayter at the renowned Atelier 17.

Upon returning to Oregon, she began work on a second MFA in printmaking and soon accepted a residency at the Sitka Center for Art and Ecology. While at Sitka, she met Martin Anderson—later known for his neon horse sculptures—and the two artists went on to open Bellwether Gallery in the converted milk house of his barn.

After six years, Marilyn relocated to Oregon’s coastal foothills, where she built a spacious studio to continue her creative work. She later served as president of Nestucca Valley Artisans for about fifteen years. For the past decade, she has managed Burkhardt Gallery in Cloverdale, where she continues to create and exhibit art that invites reflection on humanity’s relationship with animals and nature.