Who: Tammy Miller
What medium do you prefer and why?
This is a tough question because I like a lot of different mediums. I
love to paint with Acrylics and I love to create with textiles. I make
my own clothes by redesigning what I have. I either print, paint, dye or
discharge fabrics and then sew them together to make what I like to
wear. I do also make them to sell and for friends and family. I like
mixed media or anything not ordinary when it comes to how it is made or
what the supplies are. I will paint on whatever i can find. As a way to
process the grief of losing my mother about two years ago I did a
project I called 100 faces in 100 days. Every day i painted on the
papers, cards, letters and wrapping papers that my mother had been
saving for many years. I sewed these items together and painted a
different face every day for 100 consecutive days. I also wrote a story
about what influenced the face that I did. I painted fifty human faces
and then fifty animal faces. It was a lot of fun and very affirming to
create that work! I still have some of the faces for sale at the
Strawbridge Art League and you can look at my blog www.thesearedbluehaircomment.blogspot.com and see all the faces and all the stories that went with them.
What inspires or motivates you to create your art and what does your art mean to you?
Very simply, art is my therapy. It is my saving grace in life. I paint
to deal with whatever is happening in my life. Over time they become
the maps of my life. I sew to adorn myself or others in creativity,
individuality and love. I want to wear what makes me happy and
comfortable and I decide what it will be. I imagine those first people
on earth that created clothing and had the total freedom to adorn
themselves or decorate their clothes with what ever they had and how
ever their imaginations could create it. I enjoy this process immensely.
My paintings are often of faces and are my own made up versions of
expressions that either I am feeling or not wanting to feel. I paint to
give joy to my self and other's. I am always influenced by the world
around me and nature. Trees, the ocean, water, leaves and bugs and
birds. Nothing is off limits in nature.
What makes your art unique?
I think what makes my art unique is that I love alternative processes
and ways to use what I have. New things are happening in my art world !!
I am excited about the future and what turns my work will take!
More Art by Tammy
