Michael Miller Night Feeders 1973 multi plate color etching 23.75" x 17"
mmiller1art.com
Michael Miller was a seminal connection in my development as an artist. Without his support and encouragement I would not have had the chance to go to SAIC in the mid 70's and had many of the opportunities to excel as a creative person. The above print is an example of the work he was doing in the mid 70's. He was included in many print and drawing exhibits nationally around that time as was I. We had a mutual and shared interest in funky imagery that was highly crafted personal and idiosyncratic.
Michael's passing last year was rather sudden and a surprise and it is only now that I feel I can write about how important he was to me. He was a mentor, friend and colleague. I recently did an artist talk about my recent work and referred to an artists antecedents and how important it is to recognize them. Michael was certainly one of my most important influences and continues to be. I learned from him the importance of humility, hard work, craftsmanship and above all, generosity. He was the main reason I would return to Chicago every few years so I could reconnect with a past that is now beginning to fade.
