About the Filmmakers

Muriel Zandstra, Executive Producer & Co-Director
Muriel Zandstra is a retired bank assistant vice president, children’s librarian, and school teacher. She met Armand Merizon in 1962 while attending Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She was immediately attracted to his personal style of painting, and for the next 42 years observed as Merizon delved into his work, continually creating and refining new styles and techniques. She noticed during this time that his masterpieces were purchased regularly by large corporations, museums, art galleries, and art collectors.

Muriel sensed an urgency to capture information first hand about this original and diverse American artist, as today, at age 86, Merizon’s health continues to deteriorate from 20 years of macular degeneration, rheumatoid arthritis, and prostate cancer. She began this documentary process two years ago by obtaining permission from Merizon to organize thousands of his slides and videotape several personal interviews as Merizon discussed his life, artistic career, and spirituality. Then, with the help of her niece, Jennifer Dornbush, she launched the documentary into production in the Spring of 2004.

Jennifer Dornbush, Producer, Writer, & Co-Director
Jennifer Dornbush is a screenwriter, free-lance journalist, and Rhetoric teacher who currently has written several full-length screenplays and a musical, and produced several short films. She is an alum of the highly acclaimed Act One: Writing for Hollywood Program and semi-finalist in the American Zoetrope Screenplay Competition.

The Armand Merizon project began for Jennifer two years ago when her aunt, Muriel Zandstra, first asked her to assist with a videotaped interview of Merizon. Jennifer immediately became intrigued with the mastery of Merizon’s work and the integrity and discipline of his character. Jennifer has since spent countless hours studying Merizon’s work and feels honored to be a creative force behind this project.

Filmmakers’ Statement
To produce this film, Zandstra and Dornbush contacted and secured 24 interviews with people who own Armand’s works, including family members, art museums, large corporations, and private collectors to discuss what attracted them to Armand’s paintings and what makes him unique and worthy of recognition. These, together with Armand’s interviews, his artwork, and hundreds of other documents and photographs, meld together to tell Armand’s story. Their vision is to inspire beauty and truth so that current and future generations will be able to study, enjoy, and appreciate the fine work of this amazing 20th century American artist.