#sparkchamber 072522 — Sue A. Miller
Light and shadow, recollection of past, a hint of what lies ahead … #sparkchamber was thoroughly enchanted by fine artist and arts educator Sue A. Miller this past week, and is delighted to welcome her here today.
On the fine arts side, Sue predominately paints abstract landscapes in oil, her work informed by a collective imprint of landscape that has influenced her life since childhood. “Growing up in rural Ontario I spent most of my time exploring and observing the natural environment which grounded me to a magical world of interconnected spaces and solidified my connection to nature.”
Her work evolves intuitively — whether from a source, or more often, through her persistent sense of visual memory — and constantly investigates the primal and spiritual connectedness to the natural environment, and the visual behavior of natural elements. Continuing from her artist statement, “My paintings beckon a return to the forgotten memory of our origins and to what collectively binds all living species. These ecologies — the forests, wetlands, and waterways — give me a sense of awe and provide me with solace, grounding me to a web of interconnected spaces whose beauty and complexity I find endlessly fascinating. Painting provides me with a natural, quiet language to convey this profound connection. I am driven to spur an intimate connection between the art and the viewer, hoping to ignite a direction towards positive environmental change. My work continues to be a process of psychogeography, an investment of the self into our natural surroundings, which ultimately includes the viewer.”
On the arts educator side, Sue has an extensive teaching career, including work with First Nations in Newfoundland/Labrador and Nova Scotia, programming workshops for Autism Ontario, facilitating art retreats in Newfoundland, and is a part-time member of the summer faculty at Sir Sanford Fleming College, Haliburton Campus.
Coming in late-September, Sue has a solo exhibition at the Georgian College Campus Gallery in Barrie Ontario. The Ice Project will be an immersive installation of the fragile Canadian Arctic. We will absolutely share all the details as the exhibition date gets closer, so stay tuned!
1.] Where do ideas come from?
I believe ideas or creative energy is outside of us in the spiritual realm. They are like entities looking for a symbiotic host who is open to receiving them.
2.] What is the itch you are scratching?
My love for our planet. I want to share the beauty and magic with people and help them to remember their primal connection to nature from a non-imperialist view and to inspire responsible stewardship.
3.] Early bird or night owl? Tortoise or hare?
I have a dedicated studio practice. It’s my full-time job and my life. I go to my studio 5 days a week. Music always helps get me in the zone and just doing work. Painting [mark-making] to music, reading poetry or a passage from an inspiring book is always a good start and doing anything that gets you out of your head. I believe if you just get down to work, the creative energy finds you.
4.] How do you know when you are done?
When I start fussing or feeling distracted, I stop.
