Categories
all paintings Art News Event

Our Town Art Show & Sale

Thrilled to say that three of my large landscape paintings have been juried by Barbara Heller and Grace Sera into the Birmingham Community House’s Our Town Art Show & Sale.

Here are the details:

OUR TOWN Opening Night Party: March 30, 2023, 6-9:00 p.m. (Juried Artists attend for free)

OUR TOWN Art Show & Sale: FREE ADMISSION on Friday, March 31 & Saturday, April 1, 2023 (10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. both days)

OUR TOWN Online Exhibit & Sale: March 31 – April 15, 2023

This all media and juried art show provides a forum for Michigan artists to display and sell their work. The Show includes paintings, pastels, sculptures, glassworks, fiber, photography, jewelry, and mixed media. Artists receive sixty-five percent of the proceeds from the sale of art, while thirty-five percent goes to the programs and services provided by The Community House, a non-profit organization serving people in the community for 100 years!

If you are interested in attending the opening night, here’s a link to purchase tickets. It’s a fundraising event for The Community House after all. If you’d like to learn more about the organization, here’s a link to that.

Reach out to me if you have any questions.

Categories
all paintings Art News Event figure landscapes

Postcard Salon

What: A Postcard Salon is an exhibition where all artworks are the size of a postcard, 4 x 6 inches. Also, all artworks are for sale for only $30.

Where: The Muskegon Museum of Art

When: Exhibition runs from March 30 – April 21, 2023 | Reception is Thursday, April 20 | 5:30 PM (Sale starts at 6:30 PM)

If you happen to be in Muskegon during the reception then you’ll probably be able to grab your first Steve Miller, you savvy art collector you.

Categories
Art News figure portrait realism

Kid’s Portrait Finished

So happy to finally share this with you.

This portrait was a commission by the father of the children you see in this painting. It’s a birthday present for his wife. So, I’ve been waiting for him to give it to her before I reveal it to you.

As you can see, I was going for realism here. I wanted to capture their likeness, and he says I did a great job. He provided me two photos as source material and I joined them together to make a digital composite, which I painted from.

This is the first time I’ve done a portrait commission for someone I didn’t know and who found me online. The painting took a few weeks to complete.

Here’s a really short video of the paintings progression.

Categories
all paintings landscapes process animation representational

Perspectiva

Perspectiva – painting progression animation

This is a very short painting progression animation of my painting Perspectiva, 48 x 36 x 1.5″, acrylic on canvas, © Steve Miller 2022

Categories
Art News cityscapes landscapes past favorites realism

SOLD

This is Tony. He’s the hardworking small business owner of Sunnyside Landscaping. He recently did a large paving job for our family. Excellent work by the way. Our new and old patios look great.

Anyway, one day I was showing Tony around my studio and he saw this painting of the Royal Oak water tower. He talked about how much time his wife would spend there with their kids when they were little. I said that I had done the same with my girls, and that was one of the reasons I painted it.

To make a long story short. Tony’s and his wife are the new proud owners of Water Tower. He got it for her as a gift.

Nice job Tony, and thanks a bunch.

Categories
all paintings Art News Event figure landscapes new paintings

Hatchback 16

See “Cool Down” in person at Hatchback 16, a group exhibition juried by artist Taurus Burns for Hatch Art Gallery.

Opening Reception Saturday, April 2 6pm-9pm
Artist Talks
Saturdays at 2pm (starting April 9)

Exhibition April 2 – April 23, 2022 
Hatch Art Gallery
3456 Evaline
Hamtramck MI 48212

Gallery Hours: 
Saturdays, Noon – 6pm 
Thursdays, 6pm – 9pm 
Fridays, 6pm – 9pm

Categories
all paintings Art News Event graphic representational

Black & White

@ the Grosse Pointe Artists Association

This exhibition challenges artists to look at a world without color. From subtle shades of grays to black, we are seeking work ranging from realism to surrealism and abstraction.

The Juror, Marat Paransky is a sculptor, painter, photographer and mixed-media artist. Born in Kiev, Ukraine in 1986, his family settled in Mero Detroit in 1997. He received an MFA degree in Visual Arts from the Lesley University College of Art & Design in Cambridge, MA, and undergraduate degrees in fine arts and political science. His art has been exhibited throughout Michigan, as well as in Boston, San Francisco, Fayetteville, AR, and Windsor, ON. 
Marat’s work generally falls under the umbrellas of themed projects. One body of work focuses on the nuclear power/weapons industry. It combines his interest and research into the nuclear disasters, as well as its ties to his early childhood in Ukraine. Another project looks at chance and found objects/images. It takes the form of collage and assemblage, and there is often the inclusion of bits and pieces of Marat’s older artworks. Finally, there is the group of works that deals with recent political and artistic developments. The emphasis here is on text, language and symbols from everyday life, and it takes a more personal and self-reflexive approach.

Dates

Start Date: Mar 10, 2022

Reception Date: Mar 11, 2022

End Date: Apr 28, 2022

Categories
varnishing Video

Varnish Day

Gotta love Varnish Day!

Categories
all paintings expressionistic landscapes process animation representational

Mental Fix

Here’s an animated .gif file of the different stages in the making of my new painting titled, Mental Fix. It was inspired by a strange happening under the viaduct on Normandy Rd next to Delemere Blvd. in Royal Oak.

Mental Fix, 16 x 20, acrylic on wood panel, started 4/2/19, completed 4/13/19, © Steve Miller 2019

Categories
all paintings Art News portrait

Me and Tiff (re-shot)

I asked Larry at Fine Art Printing to reshoot these portrait paintings of Tiff and I, because my shots didn’t accurately represent the originals. As you can see below, the new shots are much better.

Thanks a bunch Larry & Tim. Glad to have your help.

Categories
all paintings landscapes new paintings process animation realism

Ben Jamin | painting progress animation

This repeating animated gif file shows the development of my latest painting titled, Ben Jamin.

The realistic landscape depicts the Benjamin Avenue Viaduct in Royal Oak, Michigan toward the end of winter.

There are several dilapidated 1930’s viaducts in Royal Oak. They are a point of contention with the residents of the city for various reasons, including questionable structural safety, potholes, trash, and graffiti.

A year or so ago, a friend of mine, artist Carl Oxley III, decided to call attention to the state of disrepair the viaduct near his place was in, and he painted a mural of his signature bunnies on the wall. Well, it turns out graffiti is illegal and someone complained about it to the city. The city responded very swiftly by apprehending Carl and painting over his bunny mural with gray paint. (See my rendition below) Carl learned a thing or two through this process about the city and how it has no control over railroad crossings, but plenty over covering up graffiti.

Anyway, to make a long story short, his story stuck with me. I found myself taking pictures of the viaduct on Benjamin Ave., near my studio, toward the end of winter/early spring. This painting is the result of my curiosity. I love the stains on the concrete, and the texture of the leaves and potholes. I like the subtle differences of the gray squares covering old graffiti and the peeling paint. I like the light, the shadows, and the perspective. Most importantly, I like the challenge it was representing this space accurately. On the sidewalk, I’ve included one of Carl’s bunny yard signs under some leaves, as an homage. He sold those yard signs to people who wanted to support his cause of calling attention to the problem.

Check out this painting in my portfolio.

Categories
all paintings interiors new paintings process animation realism still life

The making of Stasis Hiatus

stop motion animation showing the development of the painting titled, "Stasis Hiatus" by Steve Miller.

I began painting “Stasis Hiatus” in November of 2018. This has been one of the most rewarding and  difficult paintings I’ve made to date.

Originally, I was open to portraying the interior loosely and painterly, inspired by an artist I stumbled upon on Instagram. However, as I went along, I found myself excited by the prospect of pushing the image realistically, and taming the visual chaos of the room.

I am portraying a moment I experience often when walking into my studio. The need to decide whether to get to work on a painting that I’m not fully invested in yet, or play the drums for instant gratification.

My father used to talk to me about the subject often. He felt the need for instant gratification was a real stumbling block in our society. I can see his point, however, procrastination can also lead to creativity.

Look At My Painting “Stasis Hiatus“.