Artist Statement

Working across painting, printmaking and drawing, my work speaks of layers – of peeling back the veneer of the everyday to uncover a sense of disquiet in an otherwise serene scene. My practice looks beyond the physical elegance of the line and more intensively towards the emotional vulnerability of the figure.

Rooted in an archival approach, with an appreciation of the rich potential of drawing, my work often begins with a figure from memory or a photograph. I use a range of media, moving between printmaking, drawing and painting, in pursuit of a balance between a sense of stillness and dynamic fluidity.

Rosalind Galt’s 2011 book ‘Pretty: Film and the Decorative Image’ explores the notion that colour and decoration have been downgraded as aesthetics because they are associated with femininity and foreignness by a male-centric critical elite. Society is conditioned to look down on prettiness and avoid it if we want to be seen as serious-minded. It is fair to say that I am not interested in upholding such a critical elite.

Ultimately, I see my practice as examining humankind’s actions, emotions and subsequent resilience; I am fascinated by our capacity to adapt to adversity whilst still upholding a sense of joy and play in our lives.

Zelga Miller 2023