Featured Artist for Spring/Easter 2009:
SUE MILLER
"The Bunny Bonnet" by Sue Miller
1. You have so many wonderful pieces of artwork. Where do you get your inspiration from?
I get my ideas and inspiration from LIFE. There are ideas everywhere I look….and I’m always on the lookout for possible painting ideas 24 -7. Ideas also appear in my dreams. I do keep track of them all. I use many of my adorable art students and my nieces for models in my paintings. I always spend a lot of time preparing for a painting and get everything necessary ready ahead of time. That way, when I begin actually painting, I’m ready to go forward without having to stop the flow.
I also get very inspired by the holidays and love to paint art that depicts the different holidays and seasons. I love to decorate my home inside and out for each holiday and I find that this also helps inspire my art students. People come here and never want to leave. Since I’ve done so many holiday paintings, I change my wall displays for each one. Everybody gets a kick out of how I welcome each holiday and season with my original paintings.
I’m also very inspired by nature and her great gifts of little creatures, flowers and trees. When studied in detail, a simple thing like a snowflake becomes such a beautiful, complex wonder of nature. Unfortunately, in today’s fast paced life, many of these wonders seem to go unnoticed and unappreciated. Nature is so full of lessons in balance and beauty for everyone. I think artists have a mission in life to bring forth these beautiful details that God generously gives to us. It is ultimately humankind’s job to take care of these things and cherish the environment. Our “full greed ahead” culture has really taken its toll on God’s gifts.
My husband and I live on a lake and often get visits from assorted waterfowl. It’s so interesting to study the wild life here. I try to weave all of this into the details of my art work. Last summer we had nine humming birds that fed in our feeders every day. Thanks to them, we were able to photograph many magical moments. We have chipmunks, squirrels, bunnies.. bears…deer,,, all sorts of interesting wildlife and little critters that are so precious to study.
I am also an art book collector and have a vast reference gallery in my art studio. So, ideas are always following me around just waiting for the blank canvas to come out.
2. Are you trying to convey a message with your artwork?
Yes, as an artist I always like to convey a positive
message. I love to spread hope and inspiration. There just isn’t
time or energy for negativity. My tendency is to at least try to disappear from
the harsh realities of life and paint my own little happy world.
Art is a great device to bring about an awareness of nature and all of the magic around us. The realms of fairies and angels offer great possibilities for communicating important environmental issues. I tend to think it’s important for today’s young people to be more aware of environmental issues since they are the caretakers of tomorrow’s world.
"Sea Goddess" by Sue Miller
3. Can you tell us about any new, upcoming or current projects you have going on?
I am always working on the next painting. I often have several going at once. My husband and I have been busy promoting out first art and poetry book called FUNTASY™ Fun-To-See Art. There’s more information about our book on my website. www.suemillerart.com
We’re already beginning to make plans for our next book. It has been very rewarding working on a family project and seeing it have such a positive outcome.
I have some other exciting new projects in the works which will all be announced on my website as they come to fruition.
4. When do you know that a painting is done?
It’s often very hard to know when a painting is finished. I try to live with each new painting and study it for days, even weeks after I “think” it’s finished. This allows me to become more objective over time and determine if it needs more work or not. I’ll often photograph a new painting and study it on my computer screen. That also helps me determine if it’s finished.
"Halloween Wonders" by Sue Miller
5. Who are some of your favorite artists?
I have so many very favorite artists. I actually love and respect just about all styles of art. They all have their own sacred messages.
My father, Tony Pacheco, was one of my favorite artists and inspired me at a very young age. He also taught me to respect all different styles and techniques.
For contemporary fantasy artists, I love Sheila Wolk, Kinuko Craft, Josephine Wall, Myrea Pettit, Jasmine Becket Griffith, Jody Bergsma,Linda Ravenscroft, Amy Brown, Sherri Baldy, Maxine Gadd, Tom Cross, Molly Harrison, John Arthur, Greta James, Vickie Visconti, Sara Butcher, Priscilla Hernandez, Christine Von Lossburg, Priscilla Hernandez, Caron Vinson, Julia Jeffrey, Ellen Million, Terry Houser, and Julie Fain who does beautiful digital art work. There are really many more greats out there than I can name. I truly respect people with a vision and the courage to commit it to paper. I personally, especially like art that shows hope or beauty and communicates a positive message. I also have several students who have become outstanding artists and younger ones who show the passion and potential to do the same.
Sue Miller
Sue Miller
is a professional artist/art teacher.
She was a commercial artist for 20 years before leaving that field to
pursue her painting career and teach art in her home studio. Sue's art work is presently licensed to
several companies including Peter Stone Jewelry, Up Your Art, The Fairy Society,
Heaven and Earth Designs and Pacific Trading.
Sue's paintings have recently graced the covers of several books and
magazines and she has also been the subject of numerous interviews and feature
articles in many internationally read magazines.
Sue and her musician husband, Vern, have recently released "FUNTASY Fun-to See Art," a book of original art and poetry. The book is described as a place where wit and spirituality meet brush and palette. The book can be ordered at www.suemillerart.com. Sue can be contacted at angelknock@optonline.net.
