• Like Us On Facebook
  • Follow Us On Instagram
  • Follow Us On Twitter
0 items
  • My Account
  • Check Out

Alecia Miller Ethereal Mixed Media Art

  • Home
  • Artwork
    • Flora
    • Fauna
    • Arboretum
    • Mandalas & Sacred Geometry
    • People
  • Event Schedule
  • Shop
  • Blog
  • About
    • Contact Me

Mixed Media

Home > Mixed Media

    Celebrating Mom

    7th May, 2020 / Art, Mixed Media / No Comments

    With Mother’s Day fast approaching, I wanted to share a little something from last year, something that was one of my favorite commissions to date.

    I had a client come in whose mother had recently passed, seeking a commemorative painting that included a very meaningful poem and her mother’s favorite flowers, Queen Anne’s Lace.

    I followed my usual process for this painting, with the poem collaged in as part of the background, then building up the layers until I get to the detail work of the flower.

    During a studio visit, the client stopped by to check in, and requested a companion piece to represent her husband’s mother. For this one she supplied a poem with script written by his mother to be included.

    Both I and the client were very happy with how these turned out. This is one of those times that we artists love – being able to connect with our clients and giving them heartfelt artwork to fill their home.

    Why not add one more thing to the To Do list?

    29th April, 2020 / Art, Creativity, Mixed Media / No Comments

    As the Coronavirus lockdowns took hold over the past month or so, my normal routine (and yours too, I’m sure) took a significant twist. No more heading to the studio to work in my sunny, quiet, undisturbed space. Work now meant clearing space in a corner of my daughter’s playroom, trying to get decent lighting, and actually squeezing in some time to work. While my daughter is pretty responsible, she is still young and with schools closed down and all learning being done online, that means significant schedule enforcement on my part. And LOTS of follow up to ensure that work she thought was done is actually done.

    That threw my creative routine right out the window. I have been struggling. Really struggling. Stuck staring at in-progress canvases without being able to make a mark, listing all the things I should be doing and then shaming myself for not getting them done. Lost in a daze worrying about my elderly parents. Overwhelmed by it all.

    My solution? Add one more thing to that to do list. Sounds crazy, I know, but it actually helped.

    The 100 Day Project is a challenge that has been running a few years now and begins in April. It challenges you to do/create something every day for 100 days. This is what I added to my list. One small thing to create everyday. Something quick. Something you don’t have to share. Something that just gets pen to paper.

    I decided to do small portrait sketches: just 4×6, just 10-15 minutes each, just to get me moving. I’ll actually end up with 99 of them as I used day one to be my prep day and cut all the 4×6 papers and start some backgrounds. That stack is all 99 cards, ready to go.

    I create the backgrounds in batches and use them as an opportunity to play with color combinations, paint textures, and pattern. Then each day I grab a card and do a quick sketch in ink and colored pencil. Here are the first few. You can catch the rest over on my instagram feed. I have some catch up to do on posting (I have been social media distancing as well!) but eventually all 99 will be up there!

    This one’s for the bees…

    16th March, 2018 / Art, Gardening, Mixed Media / No Comments

    As most of you know, a lot of my inspiration comes from nature and the garden. That is definitely true of a new small series I am working on related to pollinators.

    I have been fascinated by bees most of my life, despite have an allergic reaction to stings as a kid. I still remember one day when I was playing down by the creek behind my dad’s house and a huge bumblebee landed on my neck. This was when I was allergic and I pretty much froze in fear. As I sat there with this guy wandering around on my neck, it started to tickle. His little feet just pattering away and his fuzzy body just meandering around. I calmed down and just sat by the creek letting this bee walk all over and felt like we became friends. I’m sure in my child’s mind there was some story running around about the magical girl who could talk to bees, or some such thing.

    Skip to today, and our growing problem with the declining bee population. We have a Korean Bee tree in our back yard that has seen better days and will need to be replaced soon. I am hoping to get one more summer out of it, but those pesky lantern flies love it. It blooms at the end of the summer, giving the bees one last source for stocking up for the colder months. And boy do they! When you stand under the tree while it is in bloom, it sounds like you are next to a highway with all of the bees buzzing around!

      

    We also let our garlic chives go to full bloom at the end of the season, so we get a swarm of bees there as well. I think one day last fall I counted at least 10 different species of bees and pollinators hitting up the chive blossoms. And that has led me to my current small series of paintings for pollinators.

    My collage work for the early layers is pulled from an apartment gardening book from the early 70s; beautiful yellowed paper with a grainy, pulpy feel to it. 

    I have started building up the background layers, using light, earthy tones and pulling in some honeycomb. This piece will become my County Collector piece for the Chester County Studio Tour coming up on May 19th and 20th. As I continue to build up layers and work on the foreground details, the garlic chive blossoms with begin to take center stage. 

    I’ll be sharing the finished piece soon and will include it and others from the series in my April Newsletter. Be sure to sign up below to stay in the loop and get more details about the studio tour as we get closer to the event.

    StencilClub Voices for February

    3rd February, 2018 / Art, Creativity, Mixed Media, Zentangle / No Comments

    Happy February!

    Today I am sharing with you my 2nd set of projects for StencilGirl StencilClub Voices. These are using the February set from StencilClub which is called “Grandmother’s Kitchen” and designed by Kristie Taylor.

    In my artwork I typically use stencils to build up background layers and the February stencils are perfect for that! All three stencils in the set have the same basic pattern, but in different sizes. I love having repetitive patterns carry through my work and the multiple sizes helps add dimension and depth. The first thing I did with these stencils is to just play and create some background layers for my stash to be used as the mood strikes.

    I used one of the smaller backgrounds to create my February Mandala. I layered the stencils in various shades of blue and then used the 4×4 in white as the center of my mandala. The details in the pattern made it easy to pick out elements to repeat and build off of in my drawing. I’m not sure if the result is more wintery or watery. What do you think?

    I also used the smallest version (although the biggest stencil!) as a background on a memory box. While the pattern may have been inspired by interiors, it reminds me of a garden trellis and felt like the perfect back drop to the loose, brush stroke trees.

    I see these stencils getting a lot of use in my studio going forward – and I think they might come in handy during summer kids art camp…(garden trellis, chain link fence, spaceship targeting systems…lots of possibilities here!)

    You can check out projects from the other StencilClub Voices here on StencilGirl Talk.

    (And if you are interested in seeing what the kids do with these stencils come summertime, be sure to sign up for my newsletter below!)

    StencilClub Voices for January

    1st February, 2018 / Art Journaling, Creativity, Mixed Media / No Comments

    As many of you know I use stencils in creating the layered backgrounds for my art work. I also use them quite a bit in my art journals and when I am teaching.

    While I make a lot of stencils on my own, StencilGirl is one of those sources for wonderful pre-made stencils that I just love! I am a member of their stencil club, which means I get a new pack of stencils from them every month. For January and February this year, I am a member of their StencilClub Voices team, which means I received the stencils early and got to play around with them and make sample projects before any one else. So exciting to get that sneak peak!

    January’s set was ‘Under Lock and Key’, designed by June Pfaff Daley.

    My first project was a page for my art journal. I have always loved keys and the idea of locking secrets away safely or finding the key that unlock some great treasure. For the journal page, I chose to go with this theme, and thought the treasure we need most right now is joy and happiness and keeping a bright attitude.
    aleciamiller.com
     
    They key tags were inspired by old fashioned hotel room keys with the big tassels that seem to suggest they are more important than just a simple key, so a bit of bling and sparkle was needed for these.
     
    You can check out the other projects from the Voices team on this blog post from StencilGirl Talk.
     
    I’ll be posting my projects for February soon, Make sure you are signed up for my newsletter below if you don’t want to miss it!

Admin

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Don't miss out - sign up here for updates and special offers!

I'd like to know about:

Recent Posts

  • They just keep multiplying!
  • Celebrating Mom
  • Why not add one more thing to the To Do list?
  • This one’s for the bees…
  • StencilClub Voices for February

Instagram

the_alecia_bee

the_alecia_bee
"The World is so Full of a Number of Things" is fr "The World is so Full of a Number of Things" is from a series I did at the beginning of 2019. ⁠
⁠
This group of work was all about routine and repetition and habit. It was not only about the fresh starts that we try to take on with the start of a new year, but also about the ongoing habits that impact our lives.⁠
⁠
We see developing new habits and changing ourselves as the path to the future, but I also noticed that maintaining the existing routines was one thing that helps keep my Dad going as his memory fails him.⁠
⁠
It is a fine line we all walk to keep moving forward while holding onto those things from the past we still need.⁠
⁠
What are you looking forward to in the new year? What are the good things that you are carrying along with you?⁠
⁠
#mixedmedia #newyear #newhabit #routine #newgrowth #moveforward #bright #aleciamillerart #keepthegoodstuff
Spent the last week cleaning out my dad’s house Spent the last week cleaning out my dad’s house after getting them moved to be close to family for assistance with the challenge of living with Alzheimer’s. 

Emotionally exhausted from all the sorting and decision making on what to keep and what can go. 

But then you uncover treasures like this: my dad, my brother, and I with Tigger in my grandparents’ back yard. So many wonderful, supportive memories come flooding back from just one image.

#memories #familyphotos #love
Eggo wanted to get in on the holiday greetings too Eggo wanted to get in on the holiday greetings too!

Here’s hoping that 2021 brings you a bounty as full as Eggo’s cheeks!

#happynewyear #hampstersofinstagram #eggo
Posted @withregram • @25daysofminis The art has Posted @withregram • @25daysofminis The art has been carefully packaged and mailed. 

Boxes wrapped in shiny paper and bows have been tucked under the tree. 

The 25 Days of Minis draws to a close soon. 

We want to take a moment to thank you for your incredible generosity, support, and love this year. 

Our holiday wish for you is time for reflection and connection - whether it's with your closest loved ones at home, or online, or with oneself. 

We are so grateful for you. 

With Love & Gratitude,

All of Us here at 25 Days of Minis

P.S. — The artwork will remain up on the 25 Days of Minis site until midnight on Dec. 31.
The Dame’s Gift seemed a fitting painting to sav The Dame’s Gift seemed a fitting painting to save for day 25 of the @25daysofminis 

This is the third from the group of paintings from The 12 Dancing Princesses and references the dame in the woods who gives advice and a gift to the soldier to help him succeed.

I hope this Christmas Day brings a gift for all of us for our future endeavors!

8x8 on wood panel

#12dancingprincesses #giftforsuccess #wisdom #ladyofthewoods #portrait #fairytale #mothernature #mixedmedia #aleciamillerart #artistofinstagram
Emmet popping in to wish you all a Meowy Christmas Emmet popping in to wish you all a Meowy Christmas!⁠
⁠
Hope you are all able to celebrate and share in the light and love of the season!⁠
⁠
#happyholidays #catsofinstagram #gingercat #catpuns
The Soldier’s Bride is my day 24 painting for th The Soldier’s Bride is my day 24 painting for the @25daysofminis 

This is the eldest daughter from the 12 Dancing Princesses, who ends up being chosen for a wife by the soldier that discovers the secret of their worn out dancing shoes.

6x6 on wood panel, available via link in bio

#fairytale #princess #bride #12dancingprincesses #portrait #mixedmedia #aleciamillerart #artforher #artforthehome #artandliterature
‘She Listened and She Knew’ is my day 23 paint ‘She Listened and She Knew’ is my day 23 painting.

The last three paintings come from The 12 Dancing Princesses, with this one being the youngest princess, who tried to tell the others they were being followed, but no one listened to her...

6x6 on wood panel, available through link in bio

#princess #fairytale #12dancingprincesses #portrait #mixedmedia #aleciamillerart #25daysofminis #artforher #artfortheholidays
The Straw Queen is my painting for day 22 of the @ The Straw Queen is my painting for day 22 of the @25daysofminis .

This piece features a collage background from Rumpelstiltskin, where the miller’s daughter made a deal with to spin straw into gold.

6x6 on wood panel, available for purchase via the link in bio

#fairytale #rumplestiltskin #portrait #strawtogold #mixedmedia #aleciamillerart #artandliterature #artforthehome #storiesfromchildhood #gold
Load More... Follow on Instagram

© 2020 Alecia Miller. All Rights Reserved. No images shall be reproduced or reused without express written consent.

  • Home
  • Artwork
    • Flora
    • Fauna
    • Arboretum
    • Mandalas & Sacred Geometry
    • People
  • Event Schedule
  • Shop
  • Blog
  • About
    • Contact Me
  • My Account
  • Check Out

Cart