Adam Miller Debuts With A Gentle Breeze

1xRUN Through Interview
A Gentle Breeze by Adam Miller

1xRUN: Tell us how the idea and execution came about…
Adam Miller: Glazed and developed in the techniques of The Venetian Masters. A Gentle Breeze is part of the series I did in 2011 titled Among the Ruins. It is about rebirth and regeneration from destruction. I am very inspired by the idea of mythology as personification of the cycles of nature and the inspiration for most of our art and stories. In this piece the child represents new creative life while the desolate setting reflects the end of the old cycle of life.

1xRUN: When did you create this piece and with what materials?
Adam Miller: I did this back in 2011 and it took me about 2 months. I painted it in many layers of oil on linen and slowly brought the image to completion.

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1xRUN: What is unique about this piece?
Adam Miller: The combination of classical painting and references to historical art and architecture transformed through the inclusion of popular contemporary stories of war and the environment. It represents the most concise statement of my series “Among the Ruins.” I think this piece showed the cycle of life and death more clearly and fully than any other pieces I made for the show.

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1xRUN: Describe this piece in one gut reaction word.
Adam Miller: Poetic.

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1xRUN: When did you first start making art? What was your first piece?
Adam Miller: I began studying drawing full time wen I was 14 and attended art school in Italy at 16.  A self portrait when I was 15 was my first painting.

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1xRUN: What artists inspired you early on? How about now?
Adam Miller: My first inspiration came from comic artists and illustrators such as Bernie Wrightson and Frank Frazetta. Later I discovered Italian Renaissance art and specifically Michelangelo and Pontormo have influenced me very strongly. As for currently: Tiepolo, Rubens, Michelangelo and Pontormo.

Wrightson and Pontormo (R)

1xRUN: Do you listen to music while you work? If so what? If not then what is your environment like when you work?
Adam Miller:  I like listening to audio books and musically I mostly listen to classical and world music. I love Indian, North African and French music.

1xRUN: If you could collaborate with any living artist who would it be and why? Any deceased artists?
Adam Miller: I would love to collaborate with architects to ground the work in a particular location and explore the way painting can take part in architecture. For the latter, it would either be Antoni Gaudi or Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

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1xRUN: What was the first piece of art that you bought? Do you still have it? The last?
Adam Miller: The first piece was Alexander Rokoff’s Never Trust a Pear. Yes, I still have it in my studio. The last was an early piece by Martin Wittfooth.

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1xRUN: Any big shows or events going on now or coming up?
Adam Miller: I just had a piece in the Copro 20th Anniversary show at Copro Gallery this past September. Currently I have some work in Messin with the Masters at the Mesa Arizona Museum which is up from now until January 14th, 2014, as well as participating in the National Arts Club New York’s 6×9 show. Lastly I will have a painting at the Beyond Eden exhibition opening on October 12th.

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1xRUN: Where else can people find you?
Adam Miller:  WebsiteFacebookInstagram @adammillerart

-1xRUN