Merriam’s title for this series, "A Kiss to You Towards the Setting Sun," was taken from the parting line in a letter mailed by Georgia O’Keefe to her husband in 1939 during her time in Honolulu. Considering his works a symbol for a new beginning, Merriam reflects on the vivid and lush landscapes of the islands, and connects to the place with a sense of solace that it brought him after the death of his father. "These photographs are the result of two seperate visits to a place now very close to my heart, a place where I finally felt calm again."