We were lucky to catch up with Jennifer Miller recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jennifer, appreciate you joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

The only art class I ever took was a life drawing class at university. Everything else I have learned through trial and error, with a lot of mistakes along the way. But perhaps they aren’t really mistakes, just steps along the journey. I don’t even know when I decided to start painting, I can’t recall the moment I went out and bought canvases and paint. But somehow I began. Originally I used acrylic on canvas in a very conventional way. Just paint on a canvas. One day, when cleaning my palette, I needed to scrape the paint off because it had dried. I looked at the dried paint and realized it was still paint, just in a different form. I started experimenting with these “paint skins,” mostly creating little animals and leaves and things. When Covid happened, and I spent all day basically trapped in the house, I became better and better at using the skins. I started incorporating other mixed media elements… window screen, cheesecloth, occasionally bits of paper, to create very textured, sometimes almost sculptured pieces. It’s been a process. I get better and better as I go along.

I don’t think I could have sped up the learning process, because I needed to go through the steps to get where I am, and that takes time. I didn’t know what I needed to learn until I was actually doing it “wrong.” My greatest obstacle was at first being too concerned about the work being perfect. Once I learned to embrace the mistakes on the canvas, a whole world opened up, and pieces were created that I couldn’t have even imagined.

I think the skill that helps me the most is imagination. I paint everything from my mind, I don’t use photographs or drawings or anything like that, I just picture things and put them on the canvas. They are not realistic for the most part, but they are not meant to be. I think the lack of judgment over making mistakes has become a skill – embracing the idea of just go with the flow. Experiment, play, be willing to paint things over and start again… this has served me well.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I’ve been a screenwriter for 30 plus years, and when that work started to dry up, I started painting. I don’t remember what inspired me to start, but I bought paints and some canvas and jumped in. I make completely unique art, no one else in the world does what I do. At least I’ve never seen anything like it. I’m proud of that – that I came up with something completely different. It wasn’t an intention, it just happened. When someone buys a piece of art from me, they are getting something very special.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I love to paint, to create, to experiment, to play. I like that I get to do what I want, that I know when something is finished, that I can change it if I want, leave it alone, paint over it, tear the canvas into pieces and use them to create something new… whatever I want to do with my art, I get to do. Obviously seeing a finished piece is a reward, but definitely the journey drives me as well. I lose track of time, don’t eat, stay up till three, four in the morning, just enjoying the process. The ultimate goal is for people to buy and enjoy my work, but the creation is the fun part.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I often hear people say, “Oh, I wish I could paint,” or “I wish I was creative.” But you are. Of course you are. You can paint/draw/sculpt/write – you just need to start. Buy a canvas, some clay, a drawing pad. Just start. Don’t judge. Experiment, make mistakes, start over. Don’t have a goal, just enjoy the process. Once I let go of the idea of perfection, everything fell into place. I still have pieces I prefer others, but so what? Maybe I’ll change that one I don’t like as much, maybe I won’t. Who cares? Just jump in. That’s what I did.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Instagram.com/jennifermillerpaintings
• Facebook: facebook.com/jennifermillerpaintings

Image Credits
Jennifer Miller

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