Sunday Salon: Sitting Down with Nancy Bea Miller

Today I am sitting down with Nancy Bea Miller, an "Ancient Artist" in spirit if not yet in age.  When I came across Nancy's work I knew I wanted to visit with this artist.  This is what she had to say.

There are so many questions I want to ask you, I don't know where to start.  The first would be "what is your time management secret?"
Hah!  What is this time management you speak of?  I guess the only secret here is an open one: you always find time to do what you really want to do. So, for me my family and my painting come first.  Reading, writing and photography come in a close second!
Of course, I don't have any more hours in my day than anyone else.  But, I don't watch television at all, or read a daily newspaper, and my house is not super neat or clean or carefully decorated.  I get my hair cut once every three or four years and I don't do a lot of shopping (except for grocery shopping of course!)  I am extremely focused on my work...just naturally.  I can't claim any virtue points for this.  In fact, sometimes it's a little embarrassing!

I am fortunate that my husband Paul Downs, in a creative field himself ( he's a furniture designer), is very supportive of my career and what needs to happen (or not happen) in order for that to continue.  My friends and family are all great, too.

I found myself fascinated with the strong sense of social awareness* that is a reoccurring theme in your work.  Can you tell us more about the events in your life that drew you to this subject?

Not exactly sure what you mean by social awareness?  I am fascinated by the way people (and objects) interact...their emotions and thoughts and plans as seen through their gestures and movements.  Growing up in New York City as a young child I was surrounded by people of all races and cultures and ages and religions.  A rich diversity of social experience was simply part of my life.  I love traveling and reading about other cultures, and histories and biographies and such.  This interest in people and in other cultures is probably not a conscious choice, but just a natural inborn predilection.

* by social awareness I was showing my 60s roots, using an old-fashioned term for cultural and social diversity, and an emphasis on inclusion of marginalized social groups in the artwork. As a mother who's first-born had severe congenital heart defects, I related immediately.  

You speak openly and movingly about your son.  How has autism strengthened your artistic voice?

Yes, becoming the parent of a child with special needs has been the single most broadening thing that has yet happened to me.  It really opened up my mind and heart in unimaginable ways.  As Hemingway once said, "The world breaks everyone, and later, many are stronger at the broken places."  I don't always feel very strong, but I am far more sensitive to the entire range of differences and special needs in the world now, too, not just the specialized world of autism.

My son Henry has what used to be called "low-functioning" autism.  This is essentially, strongly autistic characteristics combined with what appears to be severe mental retardation.  Just a little note: this is an extremely common form of autism, and before the big "Asperger's Boom" of recent years, was by far the most prevalent (estimated in the 80 percent range) form of autism around.  But you don't hear about these kids much I think because they are not as news-worthy as the kids who are hyperlexic (precociously verbal) or savants (amazing the world with their music or math talent!)  They are rarely (actually, never) the kids you hear about who were "saved" from autism through some special diet or therapy.  Those occasional highly publicized rescues seem to be reserved for the "higher functioning" kids.  Henry can't talk or read, and although he has many skills, he lags about a decade or more behind his peers in many things including some important self-help skills.  He is a darling child (er, teenager!) with a beautiful soul, but has many challenging behaviors and habits.

Can you tell us about your Genre of Inclusion project, and update us on what you've been doing?
Waterpark @ N.B.Miller
Yes, it's an ongoing project whereby I make a conscious and deliberate effort to include people with special needs in my genre paintings (paintings of everyday life).  I've painted people who have autism, Down Syndrome, albino-ism, cerebral palsy, blindness and deafness, and several other issues including some little-known chromosomal syndromes.  But the paintings are just about the people, not about the syndromes or "disabilities."  I am honest about it but I don't focus on the person's disability, and in some instances, you may not even realize ( at least at first) that anyone in the painting has any particular differences!  Because, to me, these differences are not a person's most important characteristic, it's all just a natural part of the variations that being human encompasses.  While I want to make sure that people's differences are seen and respected my overall aim is to emphasize and celebrate our common humanity.

This project has been the subject of magazine articles in Exceptional Parent, Mothering Magazine, and The Review ( the magazine of the Autism Society of America), and has won several art awards including an Independence Foundation Fellowship in the Arts and a Leeway Foundation Art and Change Grant.  I have had two solo exhibits of the (ever-growing) body of work, and I have another one scheduled for some time next year. 

I see such warmth and humanity in your still life paintings, and a healthy dose of humor, too.  Where did the inspiration for "Rubber Duck with Two Buns" come from and what story does it tell?
Rubber Duck with Two Buns (Ducky Buns) @ N.B. Miller

I absolutely love painting still-lives, setting up the tableaux and sensing their stories in my head as I paint.  It is deeply calming and pleasurable for me, perhaps like meditation is for some people.  I like to use objects with which I have some history (childhood relics, hand-me-downs) or that I have grown (flowers or vegetables) or cooked myself (some of the food.)  It all feels more real and alive to me that way.

The duck in "Ducky Buns" was my childhood rubber ducky!  It has swum in many a bathtub with me and my two brothers.  It now has an honorable and useful retirement, living in my studio and occasionally appearing in my paintings.  The buns are from a local bakery in my neighborhood, run by an interesting and talented couple from France.  It's hard to say why I decided to pair the buns, the box and the duck: I was first attracted by the abstract shapes and patterns rather than any narrative, but I later realized that quite a back story eventually emerged.  This is the normal way of how I work.  I set up a still life tableaux attracted mainly by how it looks, the patterns and shapes, and as I am painting I am amazed and enthralled by the story it starts to tell me.

What was the biggest artistic risk you've ever taken?
Red Vase @ N.B. Miller
Simply deciding to be an artist as my career, and deciding to go to art school.  My parents would not countenance my attending art school and I'd tried to compromise by going to a university where I hoped to double major in art and some other more "respectable" field of study.  But I found the studio arts program at the university I was at decidedly underwhelming and dropped that idea.  After working for a year or so out of college, I decided to chuck it all and do what I really had wanted to do originally and I somehow managed to do it. With a combination of scholarship, loans and part-time work, I put myself through art school  That was really a leap of faith.

What is the most unexpected side effect of your success?

I am stunned to even hear myself described as "successful."  Wow, what a concept!  I guess what has seemed surprising is that the "slog factor" never lets up.  It's a lot of hard work at every level.  Being an artist is all about getting into the studio and getting the work done.

One of the nice side benefits of having a bit of a "name" is that I occasionally get fan mail!  People write or (more usually) email me to let me know how much they appreciate my work.  I feel very grateful for those moments of connection.  I also get emails from art students, on a fairly regular basis, asking me questions and sometimes even my advice.  I really enjoy this opportunity to help younger artists as they find their way.

I know this Ancient Artist appreciated the opportunity to open the "connection" with Nancy Bea Miller, and I thank her for her generosity.

Nancy Bea Miller exhibits at:
Artists' House Gallery, in Philadelphia, PA
Sherry French Gallery, in New York City, New York
Susan Maasch Fine Arts, in Portland, Maine. 

Nancy will be part of a two-person show at Sherry French Gallery in May, 2008. For additional information on the show, as well as more of Nancy's beautiful art, please visit her website at http://www.nancybeamiller.com

Thank you, Nancy!

Comments

[alex s]

Wonderful interview of a beautiful artist! I found your site through Nancy's blog, and I will bookmark it so that I can return often to your Salon! I love that you took the risk and began making art at mid-life! That is certainly inspiring to people who need some "inspiring!" :-)

[Bonnie]

I can see why you'd choose Nancy as an inspirational artist. Her work and her explanation of her work show great thoughtfulness.
Her paintings show a very unique side of personal expression.
Beautiful work and another well prepared interview, Sue. Well done!
I look forward to more.

[Kim]

I have just found this wonderful blog and am so glad I did. I am an ancient artist, myself, so you are talking my language!

There is so much information here, so I know I will be back to explore a lot more.

Thanks Again....Lovely Work!