Dense Detail Work: Art by Edward Bear Miller
Flag for Sandy (detail), oil on sewn and embroidered canvas
Edward Bear Miller previously studied sculpture and taught social studies – both experiences which seem to inform his current painting practice. The artist’s paintings feature heavy, earthy tones and a curious blend of gestural brush marks and dense detail work, leading to figurative landscapes that transform into abstract textural explorations when viewed up close.
Titanium White, oil on sewn and embroidered canvas
In his recent series, Aids to Contemplation of the Republic, Miller combines painting and portraiture with embroidery, painting various symbols of America on sewn facsimiles of the American flag. The resulting images, often featuring portraits that confront the viewer with their gaze, encourage onlookers to take a contemplative, non-violent look at the current state of the American republic.
This sense of confronting and examining is present throughout the rest of Edward’s recent works. Through stylistic and subject matter choices, the artist encourages his viewers to see mundane, recognizable structures, both from nature and man-made, in a new light.
