Ralph Miller: Telling Stories With Color and Mark-Making
Ralph Miller is an innovative artist who tells stories through vivid colors and gestural mark-making. His paintings, collages, photography, and abstract portraiture blend to create artwork that captures the imagination. Using a distinctive color palette of bright blues, yellows, greens, reds, and words, Ralph Miller is an artist who uses his work to explore the interaction between mark-making and color.
Ralph Miller is of Nicaraguan heritage; he has been painting since he was a young boy. His work has been heavily influenced by the 20th-century Dominican Republic artists, Peña-Defilló (“Papo”), Guille Perez, and Armando Cruz. Growing up in Managua, Santo Domingo, and Miami. His work often presents natural, political, and social influences.
Ralph Miller – Top Featured Artist.
“Carlos” Acrylic by Ralph Miller.
Ralph’s tribute to Carlos Montero-Vera (1954-2018) was painted in 1999, nearly 20 years before Carlos’ passing. This oversized painting captures the unique spirit of a friendship bonded as Freshmen at Georgetown. “Don’t Give Me the Bullshit” appearing on the canvas, quotes one of Carlos’ favorite sayings.
Miller’s paintings explore the interaction between gestural mark-making and color. He uses these elements to create stories through his artwork and tell tales of personal experiences and emotions. In addition to painting, Miller works in collage, photography, and abstract portraiture. No matter the medium, his work incorporates words to add depth and meaning.
Ralph Miller’s artwork is vibrant and full of life, reflecting his passionate connection to his Caribbean roots. His pieces are emotionally charged and speak volumes about the power of art to convey stories, thoughts, and feelings.
“Resist” Acrylic by Ralph Miller.
effectively combines the mediums of visual art and sound to create a powerful and more immersive experience for viewers. The use of sensor-driven sound play-back protest noises add another layer of political and social commentary to the exhibit, making it a more powerful visual for raising awareness and promoting change.
Ralph Miller’s creative process is rooted in bringing together and breaking apart. His work explores the interplay between gestural mark-making, color, and words. His paintings start with broad imaginative strokes of bright blues, yellows, greens, and reds. He then deconstructs the canvas into smaller works to explore concepts of merging and combining shapes, forms, and colors. This physical act of separation and intersecting fluidity symbolizes everyday life as it diverges from the norm. He also incorporates collage, photography, and abstract portraiture to create layers of dimension, texture, and imagination. His work is deeply rooted in stories of coming together and breaking apart – making his art both emotionally charged and whimsically imaginative.
“Resin Series #5” Enamel and Resin by Ralph Miller.
This abstract piece was inspired by an old piece of weathered plywood, which was stenciled with various found objects and natural elements from Ralph’s outdoor summer studio. He deconstructed the piece into 6 smaller works creating a series, yet each piece stands on its own. The layers of paint are enhanced with a coating of resin to intensify the color and accentuate the rough wood grain.
Artwork “Resist”
Ralph Miller’s artwork “Resist” is a multi-media installation that combines painting, photography, collage, and sound. Miller has used sensor-driven sound play-back of protest noises to create a powerful and more immersive experience for viewers. The visual art of Resist is painted with Miller’s signature color scheme of bright blues, yellows, greens, and reds with the words “Resist” spelled backward. The combination of the bold colors and the words incorporated into the painting create an impactful message that speaks to the current political climate.
The message behind Resist is clear: it calls for people to join in solidarity and stand up for what is right. The artwork is a reminder that we are all connected and that our actions can make a difference. By incorporating the sound elements into the installation, Miller can further emphasize his message and add more power to the piece.
Overall, Resist is a powerful exhibit that speaks to the current state of the world and encourages viewers to take action. Through his artwork, Ralph Miller can create an impactful message and an immersive experience for viewers.
Artwork “Resin Series #5”
Ralph Miller’s Artwork Resin Series #5 is an abstract piece that draws inspiration from a weathered plywood sheet. The artwork uses a combination of oil and acrylic paints that are highlighted by a layer of resin. The resin provides intense color and also accentuates the rough wood grain. This creates a unique texture to the work that is visually stunning and tactilely pleasing.
Miller has described his work as a combination of gestural mark-making and color, allowing the viewer to experience the colors and marks dynamically. The layers of paint, when combined with the resin, create a vibrant interplay between light and texture, creating a mesmerizing effect.
The Resin Series #5 is an exquisite example of Ralph Miller’s artistic practice, combining found objects and natural elements with his signature mark-making and color scheme.
Artwork “Carlos”
Ralph Miller’s “Carlos” painting is an extraordinary tribute to a special friendship. The painting, created in 1999, pays tribute to Carlos Montero-Vera (1954-2018), a dear friend of Miller’s since their freshman year at Georgetown University. The oversized work of art captures the unique spirit of their friendship and features the phrase “Don’t Give Me the Bullshit,” one of Carlos’ favorite sayings.
Ralph Miller used a variety of mediums to create this piece, including bright blues, yellows, greens, and reds combined with gestural mark-making and abstract portraiture. The words on the canvas add a personal touch that speaks to the deep bond between Miller and his late friend. “Carlos” is an incredible example of the powerful stories that Miller can tell through art.
Ralph Miller has incorporated words into his artworks interestingly and uniquely. He chooses words and phrases that have special meanings or reflect a particular thought or emotion he wants to convey in the painting. His use of words in his artwork speaks to his interest in storytelling and conveying a message through his art.
The words that appear in his work range from simple statements and phrases to more abstract language, such as symbols and other abstract forms. He also often uses words in combination with images, giving a deeper meaning to his work. For example, his piece, “Carlos,” features the word “love” written over a painting of two embracing figures. This image is intended to convey the idea of love and how it can bring people together, which is further emphasized by the inclusion of the word.
By combining words and images, Ralph Miller can tell stories and express ideas that he wouldn’t be able to do with either alone. His artwork speaks for itself and gives viewers a greater understanding of what he is trying to communicate.
Viviana Puello
Editor-in-Chief
