When stepping into Adams County Arts Council's Gallery in September, you'll see roughly two dozen works in Eric Miller's exhibit, "A Few of My Favorite Things." And after spending time with these highly detailed works, you'll know what some of those things are, and you'll have seen them depicted with impressive skill.

Eric is known in the area for his artistic abilities and over three decades of teaching in the Conewago Valley School District. He's also an active member of our regional art organizations, such as the Adams County Arts Council, the Franklin County Art Alliance, and the Carlisle Arts Learning Center. In addition, he's a longtime invaluable leader in the Hanover Area Arts Guild, where he is currently serving as a board member.

His quickly evident watercolor skillset matches his active art community leadership, having established himself as a Signature Member of both the Baltimore and Pennsylvania Watercolor Societies.

One of his common themes involves nature, with works often beautifully showcasing birds, area orchards, or the Scotch Highland Cattle that live just down the road from his home. Bird feeders in the yard bring in a wide variety of subjects, allowing him to take reference photographs right from his kitchen window. While living near the not-so-common cattle, his interest peaked after visiting the farm with a group of Hanover's guild members.

Barns and old mills are fascinating to the artist, who will sometimes focus on specific elements or perhaps the relationship to the sun shining through.

To this writer and unskilled watercolor novice, Miller's very detailed depictions of machinery and clocks immediately provide a "wow" factor. Years ago, Eric had purchased an inexpensive alarm clock at a flea market, planning on completely disassembling it into its individual parts.

The artist was surprised, however, by what he saw upon its opening; the symmetry, organization, and assembly intrigued him. Visitors to the exhibit will see works of these small machines captured in a way that one assumes are photographs when first approaching.

Miller's path was apparently inevitable, with his second-grade teacher telling his parents, "This kid's going to be an artist." Roughly a year later, the art lessons began. When school projects involved art, other students would ask him to help. Education was always on his mind as a career, also considering science — until he saw the math requirements! He also had a slight detour, starting college as a political science major.

In those college days, Miller focused on the mediums of oils, acrylics, and printmaking, not moving to a love of watercolor techniques until the 1980s.

He notes that often the most significant challenge in creating a watercolor painting is setting the view of the scene while trying to balance the various elements visually. Even with his advanced skill level, he is still fascinated by mixing colors.

Eric prefers to work with a limited palette, only mixing from the primary colors. He prefers transparent, single pigment watercolors. As tips to beginning watercolor artists, he says that one should buy good brands of paint and quality watercolor paper.

The artist finds inspiration from Winslow Homer & John Singer Sargent, and Andrew Wyeth, who impresses Miller with his "realism and ability to do a lot with a limited color range." Eric will also note the excellent timing involved in meeting printmaker Chuck Close, an artist with a connection to the curriculum Miller taught to his students.

When discussing insights from his career, he shared teaching's impact on his art: the education career led him to create artworks more frequently. As a result, he felt "compelled to do art." Miller believes, "If you teach it, you should do it."

And Eric Miller does, stunningly.

Eric Miller’s "A Few of My Favorite Things" exhibit is displayed at the Adams County Arts Council in September.

Adams County Arts Council
125 South Washington Street
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

First Friday Opening Reception: Friday, September 2nd, 2022, 5-7 PM

All works copyright Eric Miller; used with permission.