Joseph A. Miller. The stories this man can tell with his paintings blows me away. Those of you who read this blog have heard me say time and time again how important it is to paint something other than the subject. (To me) a painting needs to have feeling. Think of it as a singer who can sing a song perfectly but without emotion vs. one with so much emotion that you get goosebumps. Most of us can relate to that scenario. I’ve always loved to write creatively, so I am looking for the many stories that can be told from one painting. This painting has emotion. So. Much. Emotion.

Of course, in addition to telling a story, it’s critical that the painting is executed very well. Tumultuous clouds + churning water + four kids out on their own. What are they doing, or what have they just done? Are they happy, are they fighting amongst themselves? Or maybe they’re just getting sad that it’s almost time to go home. Maybe a storm is brewing and their family is worried about them, or maybe they’ve run away to a place they feel safe. Stories. You see?

Movement. Also important. These kids aren’t statues, they’re all in motion – so you’ve just got a little glimpse into their life. Paintings are powerful, they have the power to make us remember a happy place, but also the power to heal from a not so great place. They give you a place to meditate, a place to be bright and happy or to be a painting that inspires you daily.

Joseph’s work is phenomenal – be sure to check him out via the links below!

ARTIST’S INFO

WEBSITE | Images

About the Artist (via Joseph’s website):

B I O

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Joseph A. Miller is an Associate Professor of Art at S.U.N.Y. Buffalo State, where he has taught drawing and painting since 1997. Miller’s work is in numerous public and private collections, and has been shown internationally in Finland, China, Poland and the Czech Republic, as well as across the United States, from Berkeley, California to Cambridge, Massachusetts. His work is represented by the Art Dialogue Gallery in Buffalo, NY, Meibohm Fine Art in East Arora, NY and the West End Gallery in Corning, NY. 

I focus primarily on the human figure depicted in environments that create a context for psychologically charged open ended narratives. Many of these narratives explore ideas about power and vulnerability. 

Quality of light is a common theme. In particular, the way in which atmospheric light and locale can suggest a sense of mystery and silence. These works are dark, humid and hopefully, at their best, memorable. For me, the most successful are those that evoke the feeling that an event is about to happen or has recently happened. 

Images of figures or figures in landscapes, in groups or in isolation, share a common feeling of significance. Wholly absorbed within themselves or the dialogue shared between one another, they wait for the unfolding of their private story.

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IMAGE AND BIO VIA artdesign.buffalostate.edu/directory/joseph-miller, USED WITH PERMISSION…

IMAGES ARE NOT FOR REPRODUCTION, THEY ARE PROPERTY OF THE ARTIST.

✍️ Until next time!