Meet Robin Miller, winner of the Shelby County Arts Council’s 2015 Juried Art Show

Robin Miller won “Best in Show” and “Best Painting” in the Shelby County Arts Council’s Seventh Annual Juried Art Show.

By Lindsay Dyess

Contributed photo

Alabama is filled with many talented folks. With Birmingham’s art scene on the rise, opportunities for artists are increasing and individuals are making a name for themselves. One such artist is local painter Robin Miller.

With a meticulous eye for detail and the ability to paint life-like images on canvas Miller took home the prizes of “Best in Show” and “Best Painting” at the Shelby County Art Council’s Seventh Annual Juried Art Show. As a preschool teacher and a mother of three, Miller has had a passion for art her whole life.

After graduating from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Fine Art, Miller started her artistic career not as a painter but as a freelance illustrator. She designed ever thing from floor plans to magazine illustrations for companies such as Lowe’s and Cooking Light magazine. Eventually she stopped illustrating to be a stay-at-home mom to her daughters.

As her children got a little older she decided to pick up the paint brush again.. People began to take notice of her work and she received an invitation to participate in the Energen Art Competition. Although she did not place in the competition it was a huge boost to her artistic confidence. She began painting more and entered the Mountain Brook Art Association’s Annual Show. The entry ended up earning her the prize of “Best Emerging Artist.”

Besides entering juried shows, Miller enjoys selling her work at shows such as Birmingham Art Crawl and the Bluff Park Art Show. It has provided her with opportunities to meet other artists and put herself out in the art community.

Lately Miller has been taking classes at Forstall Art Center under the tutelage of Terry Strickland to polish her painting skills and learn new techniques.

“I’m really enjoying the classes and I have learned so much! Painting is so wonderful, how could you not enjoy it,” Miller said.

What does the future hold for Miller’s work?

“I’m very fascinated by light and water and I want to work on a cohesive body of work featuring these two elements,” Miller said.  “I’m also interested in working with models to create the right look for a piece.”

Robin Miller is an artist who cannot be stopped. It will be exciting to see where her creative passions will take her next. For more information on Miller’s work, look her up on Facebook at Facebook.com/robinmillerart.

 UPCOMING EVENTS

Be sure to check out other exciting events going on at the Shelby County Arts Council in December! The SCAC is located at 102 Midlred Street in Columbiana. For tickets or more information, visit Shelbycountyartscouncil.com