Wilma Miller

As a painter I work in acrylics, a medium that requires a fast approach to the canvas. My work usually begins with an image from my sketchbook, travel photos or direct observation. I enjoy that first emotional burst of energy as I start with a loose gestural drawing and thin wash of colors to lay out the composition. I build my surface texture with brushes, drawing tools and palette knife, by adding and scraping away layers of paint and also by leaving some of that original process untouched. As I play with these layers, I begin to simplify and edit the relationships between form, line and color, until my original concept evolves into a more abstract composition. I find myself increasingly moving towards abstraction these days, in my paintings, printmaking and mixed media pieces, while stubbornly holding onto a sliver of realism for grounding and meaning.