Doretta Miller

Artist Statement

Environmental conservation, bio-diversity, global and ethnic uneasiness, mankind’s relationship to the planet earth, and even space explorations all come to mind as I began the new series, “Garden Stories.” Using the remnants of fall gardens as my stage, I set up narratives using miniature toys that include animals, fire engines, and astronauts. Shooting my photo references at ground level provides a new perspective into the mysteries of the end of season, twilight gardens with their intriguing plant densities and veggies gone bad. A Chicago native, two of my favorite destinations were the Adler Planetarium and The Field Museum of Natural History where dioramas became fascinating stages of by-gone eras and extinct cultures, and museum cases housed precious artifacts. This oil painting series is inspired by the diorama aesthetic, and creates images that transport the viewer into strange new worlds where imaginative associations are the norm, and questions bubble up that need our attention.