I first met
Vel Miller at the Paso Robles Festival of the Arts in May, 2012. The park was an overwhelming exhibit area and I was trying to see everything in the park and at Studios on the Park. Across the street at the same time, Phantom Project 2, the largest indoor exhibit to hit Paso Robles, was at the end of its exhibit period. I had managed to see that a few times before the Art Festival started. In the midst of all that was happening, it's amazing I even discovered Vel Miller's exhibit. I'm so glad I did.
Vel Miller's tags on her art read "Western Interpretations." She is interested in creating art that people will connect to emotionally, as well as aesthetically. The booth pictured above is part of her 2012 display. In my more thorough article,
A Walk Through the Festival of the Arts, 2012, I have a video of the sights and sounds of the festival. One of the scenes in it is a quick look at some individual pieces in the Vel Miller exhibit that shows them a bit more clearly and features some I didn't here.
Vel has created many works featuring horses and Native Americans, as you can see in these photos. She has won over 40 awards for her work. She has also taught oil painting for ten years. Her work is displayed in museums and galleries in many countries.
Therefore, it's no surprise to me that when the City of Paso Robles wanted a special monument in front of the Police Department, in 2000 it commissioned Vel Miller to create it. "Reward for Valor" shows a fire fighter handing a baby to a police woman. It now belongs to all of us in Paso Robles, and it's there for all visitors to the city to enjoy. Find it on 10th Street, near the corner of Park. Next time you are in Paso Robles downtown, pause and take a good look at it.
See more of the Paso Robles Art Scene on my Pinerest Board. Just click below.
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She does beautiful work. I personally loved the two donkeys and the horse with the cowboy. No wonder she is famous internationally. Talent is its own best promotion:)
ReplyDeleteI wish I had had room to feature more of her work. She also had dogs and more Native American sculptures that were captivating.
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