Michael Miller Fine Art

 
They say that to be a good writer, you should write about what you know. I believe the same holds true for painting. Growing up in rural Ohio provided me with unlimited inspiration, from the gentle rolling countryside to the scattered barns that punctuate it. I have come to know the subtle beauty woven into these places, and it has become my life’s pursuit to share that beauty with the world.

Beauty is not always “pretty.” I try not to portray the barns in my paintings as idyllic, picturesque scenes. Instead, I am more interested in exploring the quiet beauty that exists in simplicity. Much of my work is meant to confront the viewer with an honest portrayal of these barns and landscapes—stripped of grandeur, yet never of dignity. Like rural America itself, the barns stand defiant and proud in their usefulness, though there is often a sense that their time is passing, revealed in the gentle weathering of their boards.

While I take my own reference photographs, I do not rely on them for most of the painting process. The mood, color, and composition are guided primarily by what I am trying to express in each piece. Still, I find it important to incorporate select details from my references to ground the work in reality. Occasionally, I also complete plein air studies to inform my studio practice.

Once I map out an idea on the canvas, I begin with a quick base layer. This allows me to test color harmony and establish movement before gradually building depth and detail in the final layers.

Michael Miller b. 1991 is an American oil painter based in rural Ohio. His passion for history and rural American architecture began when his family took him to Gettysburg. He was enamoured with the old barns and the history behind them. When Michael was 13, his family moved out of Cleveland and settled in a quiet country town. It was there that he began to sketch the local landscape and started paying attention to the world around him. 

Michael is self taught as an artist, though he credits his high school art teacher for laying a strong foundation. He built on that foundation for several years until he decided to try participating in local art shows. He began doing shows in 2014, where his paintings of barns and landscapes garnered some notoriety. He won many awards and was encouraged to be a full time artist in 2015. He continued doing art shows around the country for several more years.

Since then he has achieved much in the art world. In 2022 Michael was given a residency at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in PA, where he taught plein air painting to guests and he was asked back again in 2023. In October of 2023 Michael was featured in “The Great Outdoors” exhibition at Arcadia Contemporary Gallery NY, NY. The following year he had a solo exhibition, “Heartland,” at Abend Gallery in Denver CO. He continues to do group shows with both those galleries. In 2025 Michael was selected to be a Judge for the 2026 Almenara Art Prize. This year he won an award in the prestigious ARC Salon Competition.

Awards

Best of Show, Lakewood Arts Festival 2014
Best of Show, Willoughby Arts Festival 2014
First Place in Painting, Medina Art Show 2015
Best in Show, Medina Art Show 2015
Third Place, Hudson Art on the Green 2015
Best of Show, Upper Arlington 2015
Best of Show, Chagrin Falls 2015
Honorable Mention, Boston Mills 2016
Outstanding Artistry, Pittsburgh A Fair in th Park 2016
Third Place, Chagrin Falls 2016
Best of Painting, Krasl Arts Festival 2017
Diamond Award, East Lansing Arts Festival 2017
First Place, Chagrin Falls 2017
Second Place, Hudson Art on the Green 2017
Second Place, Toledo Botanical Garden 2017
First Place, Medina Art Show 2017
Best of Show, Chagrin Falls 2018
Best of Show, Willoughby Art Festival 2018
People’s Choice Award, East Lansing Art Festival 2018
First Place, Medina Art Show 2018
Best of Show, Medina Art Show 2019
First Place, Chagrin Falls 2019
Best of Show, Hudson Art on the Green 2019


Galleries

Abend Gallery
Nemacolin
Arcadia Contemporary

Residencies

Nemacolin Woodlands Resort Oct. 2022
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort Nov. 2023

Major Exhibitions

2025 - LA Art Show, LA, CA
2024 - Mini Show at Abend Gallery, Denver, CO
2024 - Solo exhibition at Abend Gallery, Denver, CO
2023 - Spotlight exhibition at Arcadia Contemporary, NY, NY
2023 - LA Art Show, LA, CA
2022 - Five and Under at Arcadia Contemporary, NY, NY

Publications

2024 - American Art Collector Nov. Issue
2024 - “The Clearing,” Kelly, Cassandra (Art for book cover)
2023 - American Art Collector Oct. Issue
2020 - Southwest Art Magazine Dec. Issue