Reflected

I created this image using two photos taken over the weekend of reflected light on the surface that where I was having coffee and actually from the reflected light in the coffee itself.

Copyright 2008 William H Miller All Rights Reserved

Learning Lines

Part of learning as an artist is similiar to an actor learning lines. As an artist you need to learn your lines. You need to learn about what weight to give them, how they interact with together, how they form stories, shapes and new images.

Everyday as an artist you learn new lines.

Copyright 2008 William H Miller All Rights Reserved

Opportunity

Today was a day to reflect on opportunity. I am happy to say that I have gotten some emails, phone calls and projects that I all consider opportunity. It means more art to be created, more organizations to support with my art, and more people to have the ability to show my art too. Opportunity is a good thing, especially when it knocks and you are there to open the door and welcome it into your life.

I created this piece using a small painting and the word "Opportunity".

Copyright 2008 William H Miller All Rights Reserved

Weekend of Laughs

My friends, Patrick & Warren visited this weekend from Dallas. On Saturday we visited the studio, had some coffee at Cafe de' Artists, ate dinner at Pronto's, had a cocktail at Guava Lamp, then saw Margaret Cho perform at the Laugh Stop.

It was alot of fun, Warren's cheeks hurt so much from laughing. She made a comment about Wizard of Oz collectors which Warren & Patrick thought was hilarious, and of course I heard about the rest of the weekend. After the show we had more cocktails and visited the bars in Houston. We stayed out until closing and then ate at the House of Pies at 2:30am. We slept in and ate a late brunch, and they headed home to Dallas later this afternoon.

Now it is getting back to tasks at hands. Getting my finances and business organized. Working on some art projects and setting goals for 2008.

It was good to just have fun and laugh with friends this weekend.

Happy Birthday Tim

A picture fit to be the Birthday Card Princess for 2008!

It was a gas!

I was compelled to take this picture while I was filling up my gas tank today. Something very interesting and abstract to me.
Here is a picture of me between two new pieces. The one the left is called "Important" and the one on the right is Clutter Green, and of course the artwork in the middle is the tux shirt, cumberbun & tie that I am wearing! Project Runway here I come.

Here are a few shots of some of the party on the move.


It was great night and was nice to expose my art to new people.

Copyright 2008 William H Miller All Rights Reserved

Night Train and Wearable Art

I went to Winter Street Studios tonight to work and get ready for tomorrow's 2nd Saturday and the Pre-Party that I am hosting for my fellow Direct Energy employees who are attending the Holiday party at Rockefeller Hall, a mile from my studio location.

While there at night the train came by and I took this picture which came out pretty intense since there was only the lights from the studio & train to capture this movement.

In an effort to get ready for this affair and hopefully reuse at DIFFA, I took my bowtie, cumberbun and tux shirt - and created some wearabel art.


Is it a painting or is it a tux shirt? You'll have to wait until Sunday to see pictures of how it looked on!

Copyright 2008 William H Miller All Rights Reserved

it's a shame....

I created this piece from the word and definition for Shame . I was having a good conversation with a good friend about what is shame and how it plays into our lives.

I have to say the memory I have of Shame is one of my best and most favorites. We saw, dancin and moved to Evelyn Champagne King to her disco hit "SHAME"... 1978! Thirty years ago and still living and loving the "shame".

Copyright 2008 William H Miller All Rights Reserved

stretching

I created image from some images that I took this weekend. Some from night shots at Texas Land & Cattle company, some shots of some small paintings I am doing in the studio, and then some digital combinations of these images and filtered changed.

As I try and stretch as an artist, it is all about continuing to create everyday, to use what I see and experience, and try and communicate something new.


Copyright 2008 William H Miller All Rights Reserved

Dawn-Know-Tell-Oh

It was a great evening tonight attending a gallery showing of some of my new Houston art friends. The show of Van McFarland, Tre Slaughter, and Micha Simmons. The show was held at the new Darke Gallery, run by former Winter Street artist resident, Linda Swaynos. As a matter of fact, the studio I now reside in was inhabited by the artist Tre Slaughter. I spent the evening chatting with another artist friend, Janet Wayte and her husband (mr. janet; as we nicknamed him) , and Van's wife (dawn). It was decided that Dawn-Know-Tell-Oh would be her new name and that she was planning on bring back into fashion the red fan! Which she proudly held and would occasionaly whip into a frenzy when she felt the flush of warmth over take her. I created this piece in her honor. She wore stunning black boots and a leopard print coat, and her bright red fan that her father had brought her from Tokyo. The gravel of the gallery's outdoor section were hard on her ankles in those boots, she recently had hurt her ankle - but being the slave to fashion that she is she overcame her pain to walk across the gravel to chat with me for a while. The best part is she is a loyal reader of the blog since I first met her. Thanks for reading, Dawn! and being the inspiration of this new piece and this entry.

Copyright 2008 William H Miller All Rights Reserved

Digital Mike

I has experimenting today and created this portrait of my friend michael from one half of a photo of his face.

This was a very small and grainy photo but it became a nice digital abstraction.

It is nice to know that your friends can become inspirational.

Copyright 2008 William H Miller All Rights Reserved

Artist's Do

I was inspired by my friend and fellow artist, Jim Frederick. His 2008 blog tag line is

Tough People Do... that made me think... artist's must do --- we must create to be able to communicate. If we don't then we are just dreamers and thinkers.

Jim - you are not only a tough person, but a tough artist as well. Keeping doing what you do...you inspire.

You will notice some changes on my blog. New things in the works. Enjoy.

Copyright 2008 William H Miller All Rights Reserved

New Year New Art

I created these images from the written words Happy New Year 2008.

I created another piece last year for 2007. Do you remember? If not, click here.

Copyright 2007 William H Miller All Rights Reserved

2008

It was a great start.

I worked at both the corporate job and the art studio.

I got a massage.

I had a great meal at Texas Land and Cattle.

I took a nap.

I went out for cocktails and New Year's Eve and met great people - Ricky, Regina, Rene, Eguiloius (spelling?), Chuck, Chris and Tony.

Lots of calls and text messages from friends near & far.

Happy New Year!

Reflections

It is that time of year that I take time to reflect. Reflect on how the last year went, what I want for the new year, and where am I on this road filled with art.

What does it mean to be an artist?

I remember when I first started it was very hard to even call or define myself as an artist. Now I wonder what does this label mean? I create. I see things differently. Who decides that your an artist? Do you decide or does the people who view your art decide? Do you let critics decide? curators? fans? friends & family? teachers?

All I know is that I started being an artist as a way to communicate... the same reason I blog... the same reason I paint... the same reason I take pictures... the same reason I create art digitally... the same reason I create DIFFA jackets... the same reason I write... the same reason I draw... the same reason I discuss my art... the same reason I collaborate with other artists... the same reason I show my art... the same reason I think...

... and I dance for the pure joy of it. (the best time when I am alone dancing around my studio).

Before the new year... take a moment and reflect.

I have alot to be grateful for (my health), thankful for (my patrons), angry about (end this war!), love (family, friends, and co-workers), think about (what, who, when, how, why).

P.A.C.E. FORWARD

Copyright 2007 William H. Miller All Rights Reserved

Merry Christmas

A simple message to everyone to enjoy their friends and family during the holidays and coming new year. P.A.C.E.

Camel Rides, Shows & Beach

Here is the picture of Mom & Dad on their first camel ride. Everyone should do this at least once in their lifetime. They took the ride up the side of a volcano in Lanzarot.

Last evening we headed to the Alabama Theatre to see the Christmas Spectacular.

And during a day of shopping I took time out to visit the beach and take some pictures. It was a beautiful day around 70 degrees. Today is more Christmas shopping - coming home to Turkey dinner.

Happy Holidays from Myrtle Beach!



Copyright 2007 William H Miller All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back

Mom & Dad return to the States today on from their cruise in the Mediterrean and across the Atlantic --- I created this image based originally on a cruise ship. I am excited to hear their stories of their adventures. Hopefully a pose of them on camels will be on the blog soon.



Copyright 2007 William H Miller All Rights Reserved

Thought from the city

I started my day out taking a picture of the skyline and the clouds & sun which reminded me of a thought bubble. Later on the same drive to my corporate job, I was at a stoplight and saw a homeless man in a wheelchair on the corner. It made me think about him, obviously the thoughts of him at the start of my day did not leave me when I traveled home. He was no longer on the corner where I saw him earlier that day. It inspired me to create this image from the pictures I took. The city of Houston thinking "Homeless in Houston for the Holidays". If you can give to the Homeless Shelter in your city...and maybe we will can change the thought regarding homeless in your city.

Star of Hope

Copyright 2007 William H Miller All Rights Reserved

Open Sky

The last week, I spent time on planes. It is amazing to fly above the clouds. I often wonder what it must be like to go above the sky into the atmosphere like the astronauts do. It is also that time of year where I make planned time to reflect. December 29th it will be one year since I moved to Houston. As as an artist, it was great because I had the good fortune of finding a artist studio, a great place to live, and I could see my dreams unfolding before me. The year was not without it's delimmas. In many ways it was like starting over. I had to find new places to show my art, I had to find new people who enjoyed my art and to buy my art, and to listen to my inner voice and create. The middle of my year was interrupted by life. My illness caused by my gall bladder was a scary time. It stopped everything. I relied on some from my old Dallas support group, I relied on new friends & coworkers in Houston, and my family. So now it is time to revisit the goals that I was not able to accomplish this year, to use P.A.C.E. (positive attitudes change everything) to set my goals for 2008 and to look into my soul and figure out where I want to land.

Here's to sky full of open opportunities.

Copyright 2007 William H Miller All Rights Reserved

Diffa Jacket Finished

In a previous post I showed you the front of the design of my DIFFA Jacket. This is a photo of the back as it was finished.
My models, Karen - eloquently showing off the front of the jacket.

And Cliff showing of his better side, I mean the backside of the jacket.

Now to see it on the runway in 2008!

www.diffadallas.org

Copyright 2007 William H Miller All Rights Reserved

Cookie Bake 2007

We held the 2007 Annual cookie bake/exchange at the Nursing Rehab Center where Jim has been doing his therapy. We each brought cookies for the exchange and shared them with the employees and residents as allowed.
Armando and I both brought our Diffa Jackets to show. Armando, (aka Miss Puerto Rico) has concerned a jealous competitor would try and pepper spray his jacket.
Not sure who he was talking about !
Unfortunately for the paparazzi.
Here is the group of friends that were together this year.

AC3

This weekend I travelled to Dallas for several reasons. This time of year is usually a period of artistic giving back to the community. In past years I participated in events like Art Rage Us, a art event to support AIDS organizations in the community by giving a percentage of the sales of art to them; The Blue Yule, an artistic Christmas ornaments that ar created and donated and the proceeds go to supprt programs at the MAC (Mckinney Avenue Contemporary), a contemporary art museum; and then Art Conspiracy 3. Art Conspiracy is a event that pulls together the creative muses of music and the arts. For more information see the You Tube video in the previous blog entry. This year was special for me since I now live in Houston. I miss many of the artists that I began to bond with as I developed my art business in Dallas, it is hard to be an emerging artist, and many of the artists that I struggle with participate in this event.

This is a piece done by friend, Michael Sowiecki.

This is Sarah Jane working on her usual Photo CD of Art Conspiracy piece.

My friend, Robb Greenhoe, created this piece. His work and my piece were both by the same woman.

Robb's Partner, Al Glover created this piece.

Here are some more pieces, Jennifer Morgan's Bird & Leopard piece almost broke the $700 price point during the auction.

The next three images are my 3 favorites. This is done by friend, Erica Felicella, who was also the Art Coordinator for the event.

This piece was a favorite because of the words. It was done by comic book artist, David Hopkins. I tried to buy it but had to stop myself when the bidding reached $200.

This was another favorite and inspirational. It was created by friend, Jim Frederick.

Jim has had a year filled with complications and has been in and out of the hospital, rehab centers, and has been currently during rehab at the nursing home & rehab center called the Madison on Marsh. I brought Jim his 18"x18" board to see if he would be up for creating some art during the planned visit for the annual cookie exhange with his friends. He was excited and up for the challenge.
Like the other artists' he created his piece in under 3 hours. He used store bought kids paints, a cup, a knife, his sleeve to create the finished piece. On the back he wrote his signature statement - "I can only do what I can do"

I was able to deliver his piece to the event before the last auction. I and others were emotionally moved to have his participation. They started the bidding for his special piece at $100, it was the last piece auctioned that night and it sold to collectors of Jim's work for $250. The money raised for this event when to support St. Anthony's Community Center. They serve over 800 children in the community and put emphasis on after shool arts & music programs.

This was my finished piece.

Copyright 2007 William H Miller All Rights Reserved. All artwork pictured Copyright of the respective artist noted.

What is Art Conspiracy?

Selling Art

I checked on my art at the Bering & James box show and when I arrived I was delighted to see the RED DOT.

All these pieces were bought by the same couple for their staircase. My piece is the large vertical piece in browns in the center of the cluster.

This weekend was also the Winter Sale at Winter Street Studios, and several of my pieces sold at this event as well. What makes it even better is developing the comarderie with the other artists and meeting new patrons who appreciate your art.
Mom & Dad left for Spain today to board a cruise of the mediterrean for 3 weeks. I will talk and see them again at Christmas. I expect to hear great stories and pictures of them on camels.

Copyright 2007 William H Miller All Rights Reserved