1st Place, 2023 Oils Competition
Maxwell Miller, The Tale of the Curious Oysters, oils. © Maxwell Miller, shared with permission.
Maxwell Miller
In 2017, Maxwell Miller went from working in the theatrical arts to creating remarkably realistic paintings and drawings that have garnered international recognition throughout the fine art community.
His background in theatrical storytelling lends itself well to his artwork, giving visual clues about the story behind each piece so the viewer can solve its mystery.
1st Place, 2023 Oils Competition
Maxwell Miller, The Tale of the Curious Oysters, oils. © Maxwell Miller, shared with permission.
Maxwell Miller, The Journeyman, oils. © Maxwell Miller, shared with permission.
This inspiration for Miller's winning entry, The Tale of the Curious Oysters, comes from a poem from Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass which tells of the Walrus and the Carpenter inviting shoe-wearing oysters to stroll with them along the seashore and includes the famous verse:
"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes - and ships - and sealing wax -
Of cabbages - and kings -
And why the sea is boiling hot -
And whether pigs have wings."
Maxwell Miller, The Eternal Garden, oils. © Maxwell Miller, shared with permission.
"I had a good time with this one," Miller laughed.
When he began to pursue visual art, Miller worked to refine his technique. He became an apprentice to master artist Anthony Waichulis at the ÀNI Art Academy, completing his apprenticeship in 2022. He now serves as dean at ÀNI Art Academies Dominicana in Rio San Juan, Dominican Republic.
"There is a revival of realism happening now that I strive to be a part of, and I hope to significantly contribute to it through a lifelong artistic career," Miller says. "Realism gives me the ability to clearly communicate through recognizable imagery. My main source of inspiration is in theatrical arts and puppetry, but also in other artistic media that focuses on storytelling - music, movies, TV shows, folklore, and mythology."
Maxwell's work has received awards and recognition from leading art competitions and major arts publications including The Art Renewal Center, The Boynes Artist Award, National Art League, The FiKVA Foundation, The Artist's Network, and Southwest Art Magazine. He won 2nd Place in Art and Color 365's Drawing Competition for his charcoal piece, The Eternal Garden.