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Madison Miller is an artist based
out of Chicago, IL. She is in the
process of completing a Bachelor of
Fine Arts focusing in painting, and
a minor in psychology at
Northeastern Illinois University
with an expected graduation of May
2022. She has been featured in Woven
Stories: The We Were Never Alone
Project with Bryana Bibbs.
Additionally, created public murals
for River Park in Chicago. Miller’s
work reflects her own emotions and
mental health. Oil and acrylic are
the primary mediums; using a
fluorescent color palette and unique
brush strokes to convey an inner
child-like perspective of the
outside world.




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Statement




I became interested in art when I was 6 years old and my younger sister was diagnosed with cancer. As I was traveling back and forth from Iowa City to home or waiting for countless hours in the  University of Iowa’s Children’s hospital hallways, I kept busy by drawing and attempting to recreate the beautiful and colorful images I saw spread throughout the interior of the building. During the few years before my sister's miraculous recovery, I was introduced to art therapy and taught how to express my feelings through art which permanently influenced my work.

My current work is a vision of my inner dialogue and exposes the eating disorder thoughts that I battle on the daily. I show these seemingly dark topics, in a bright fluorescent way through material and color scheme. Layers of playful and expressive imagery through a variety of fluorescent colors such as pink, yellow, and orange, resonate with the emotions of joy and happiness. Alternatively, I express emotions of sadness, fear, and anger through images of bones or skeletons in a humorous manner, and by combining colors associated with negative emotions (red, blue, and black). The medium of my current body of work includes acrylic paint, drawing on transparent sheets, collage, and clay sculpture presented on wood panels and fluorescent acrylic sheets. The fluorescent acrylic sheets make it nearly impossible for a viewer to look away and forces them to question the meanings behind the skeletal imagery and references to food. The intention of presenting the influences of eating disorder thoughts and behaviors in a bright, playful way plays part to how transparent the dangerous behaviors are to a world that is so focused on physical appearance. My work has and still does reflect pain, happiness, and healing of both myself and those around me. My goal as a studio artist focusing on painting is to confront the things we fear most by showing the beauty that pain holds within my work.



Resume


Education

2022     Bachelor of Fine Arts, Painting, Psychology Minor,
         Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL

2021     Studio art, Black Hawk College, Moline, IL


Exhibitions/Public Art

2022     Senior Seminar, Ronald-Williams Library, Northeastern Illinois
         University, Chicago, IL

         Artstravaganza, Upper Gallery, Northeastern Illinois
         University, Chicago, IL

2021     River Park Mural, Northeastern Illinois University ART 333,
         River Park,Chicago, IL

         Woven Stories: The We Were Never Alone Project, Bryana Bibbs,
         Evanston Made, Evanston, IL


Related Professional Experience

2021     Preparator, HARD/SOFT, with Valeria Terraza, Oliva Gallery,
         Chicago, IL

         Paint Along with event with Valeria Terraza, Chicago Yacht
         Club, Chicago, IL