About
the artist
the collection
the artist
My goal as an artist is to create luminous images that evoke pleasant memories and thoughts. I have dedicated over fifty years to painting and drawing. I decided to become an artist at age five. I fill endless sketchbooks and produce over 100 works a year.
the gallery
the collection
the artist
Located in a warm and inspiring 1871 church in the heart of West Amana, Iowa, between 6th and 7th avenue off of F Street. Our studio and gallery display a variety of art and antiques.
the collection
the collection
the collection
The paintings honor regional and national treasures of the United States and around the world in an array of mediums. Subjects include architecture, landscape, floral, portraiture, and still life.
Artist's Statement
in her own words...
At five I knew that I was an artist. My kindergarten teacher held up my drawing and announced that there was an artist in the class. I thought that was a wonderful thing to be and have studied and practiced art ever since.
My parents encouraged me by taking me to art shows and museums. They bought me books and supplies. They set up a studio for me in the basement. It was a wonderful place behind the warm furnace. It had a big overstuffed chair for reading and a drafting table fashioned from an old bed. Today my studio, home, and gallery are in an 1871 sandstone church in West Amana, Iowa.
I paint mostly in watercolor, but also do oils, pastels, and inks. I bought a stack of sketchbooks when I retired from teaching. I sketch a minimum of 15 minutes a day. Watercolor is my favorite medium. I don't have 100 percent control. It is like a partnership. You have to coax water, paint, and paper to do what you want. My paintings are painted in my head before they ever reach the paper. Every moment my eyes are open I am seeing a painting. I feel an obligation to record our regional and national treasures, from the most beloved natural wonders, to the lowly falling-apart houses left behind with just a hint of past lives. I like to honor forgotten bridges, churches, and farmsteads by painting them as lovingly and beautifully as I can.
My goal as an artist is to create luminous images that touch happy feelings from our past.
Contact Us
visit us
We love to meet our customers.
May through December 23rd
Friday, Saturday, & Sunday from 10am to 5pm
Or by appointment.
Michele Maring Miller Studio & Gallery
