ALLISON MILLER
Skyscraper, 2021
Oil stick, acrylic, and ribbon on canvas
56 (height) x 45 1/2 (top width) x 58 1/2 (bottom width) in.
Photo: Robert Wedemeyer Photography, Fullerton
From the inclusion of unexpected materials (a rose-patterned lace ribbon, glitter bombs, the floral crescent moon), to the Crayola-crayon application of paint stick, Miller's process conveys a spontaneity that belies...
From the inclusion of unexpected materials (a rose-patterned lace ribbon, glitter bombs, the floral crescent moon), to the Crayola-crayon application of paint stick, Miller's process conveys a spontaneity that belies the strategic execution of the work. The artist's frequent subversion of the paint drip is a prime example of this method. A mark associated with uncontrolled, random action— think Pollock's Autumn Rhythm or Joan Mitchell's The 14th of July— Miller's drips are instead achieved via precise manipulations of the picture plane. Like lines made from interstices left between colors, contradictions abound. The end result of this accumulation of conflicting decisions is a series of works that balance harmony with tension. Miller's paintings are never static— instead of settling, they buzz.
A spider web is a grid but it's an imperfect grid. Its tensile strength is incredible. A spider web is stronger than steel, and it can structurally, visually catch and hold objects for us to look at. It's also just a bunch of lines! So, it's this perfect object. It's a very good metaphor for painting.— Allison Miller
A spider web is a grid but it's an imperfect grid. Its tensile strength is incredible. A spider web is stronger than steel, and it can structurally, visually catch and hold objects for us to look at. It's also just a bunch of lines! So, it's this perfect object. It's a very good metaphor for painting.— Allison Miller