After World War I, Mercer arrived in the Montparnasse section of Paris, where she became acquainted with Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Marie Laurencin, Jules Pascin and Kees van Dongen.
She eventually left Paris to live in other parts of France, Italy, Spain, and Tahiti.
[3] There she associated with George Bell, William Frater, Lina Bryans and Arnold Shore.
[4] She also renewed her friendship with Janet Cumbrae Stewart, who she previously met in Paris in the 1920s.
[2] While in Melbourne, Mercer took art classes from George Bell and later taught at her private studio, where her students included Colin McCahon, Cumbrae Stewart and Lina Bryans.