Hello there.
I’m Lyla Merle, an artist and creative director living in San Francisco.
I'm a lover of opposites with an insatiable appetite for figuring out why things happen and how things work. I grew up in the country but live in the city. I minored in computer science and math but majored in fine art. I love doing things with my hands and understanding new technologies. I love using all my interests to come up with solutions for my own art and for my clients' projects.
Merle is my middle name. It was my father's middle name and my grandfather’s middle name. My parents, both hippies from Arkansas, kept waiting for a boy, but I was what they got, so I got the name—and I love it.
Things I can’t live without : hair dye, high quality graph paper, inappropriate people, good pens, a challenge.
I get bored if I’m not learning. This leads me to find many adventures—ask me about Burning Man sometime.
My creative path began in the visual arts. After graduating as a fine arts student from the University of Arkansas, I attended Portfolio Center in Atlanta, GA. There I focused on design and new media. After graduation, I first worked at a design consultancy before moving to Los Angeles to work at a number of traditional ad agencies.
I now focus on newer forms of advertising, namely experiential, social, and influencer marketing. I’ve helped bring to life immersive and engaging branded experiences for the likes of Microsoft, Mark Anthony Brands, and NBC/Universal, as well as creating social, influencer, and 360 campaigns for brands like Adobe, Anheuser-Busch, and e.l.f. Cosmetics.
My focus is on creating bespoke solutions for clients to connect with their audience, whether that’s online or IRL.
