“A Thousand Words”

Noel Miller
31st October – 22nd November 2023

OFFICIAL OPENING: Friday, 3rd November 2023 from 5:30 pm

ARTIST’S STATEMENT: NOEL MILLER

My works in this exhibition are inspired by verses from “The Prophet” by Kahlil Gibran.

“The Prophet” tells the story of a prophet, Almustafa, who is speaking to the people of a township called Orphalese. The prophet answers questions put to him from the people of Orphalese asking for advice on aspects of their lives.

I first read this work when I was eleven and have referred to it ever since. We used the verse On Children for the baptisms of both my children. The Verse On Death is often quoted at funerals. For me, this beautiful series of verses (as well as the verse Desiderata) are a constant source of not only inspiration but also a guide to surviving and coping.

This is the second time in my career I have used The Prophet as inspiration for a series of charcoal works.
I have more recently moved into using collage in my work, so this series uses a multi-media approach, drawing my characters with a combination of charcoals, pastels and collage. I have included some works on canvas using solely collage.
Some pieces are derivative. Others are more obscure in their connection between text and image. I want you to draw your own conclusions. I love nothing more than being told that one of my works means something different to a viewer from what I intended.

About Noel Miller

Sixteen years ago, Noel Miller unexpectedly walked out of a job as CEO of a large not-for-profit organisation to take up his lifetime dream of being a full-time artist. It was a move he has not regretted.
Based in Brisbane, Noel Miller is an artist and tutor with experience in the areas of landscape painting, mixed media on canvas, printmaking & drawing.

Miller has been a finalist in the Norvill Prize, Blake Prize, Jacaranda Drawing Award, Kedumba Drawing Award and the Marie Ellis OAM Prize for Drawing, and a winner of the Warwick Prize. Since 2002, he has held 33 solo exhibitions as well as being in numerous group shows.

Noel has twice been an artist in residence in Gothenburg, Sweden (in 2012 and 2008). He is a resident artist for the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve and a guest lecturer on painting and photographing the landscape in the Antarctic.

Over the past 20 years, he has taken groups of people to paint en plein air in outback Australia. He regularly teaches workshops on colour and drawing and multi-media in Brisbane and regional settings.
His work is included in collections both nationally and internationally.