Judith Miller: “I am what I am”

By Jerry Slayton

This month, our Artist of the Month is Judith Miller. Judith is a multifaceted Austin original singer/songwriter, visual artist, macramé artist, a mother and a wife. She has cultivated a passion for improv into all her creative mediums. Whether it's music, painting, or macramé, Judith approaches each with a playful spirit and explores each medium by feel. She is technically trained in each, but allows herself room to interact, and react as she creates.

Judith’s creative spirit will instilled at an early age:

“ My Father was an Irish Tenor, and so we were was always singing in the house. We would take trips to Threadgill's where I heard Janis Joplin at a very young age.”

At the University of Tulsa Judith studied visual arts and received her BFA. She was fortunate enough to study under the incredible landscape painter Alexandre Hogue, a name that might be familiar to anyone who knows about the Dallas nine. While at Tulsa Judith developed as a painter but also a fiber artist, trading in her paints for rope and brushes for knots. After college she worked with an Oklahoma architectural firm creating pieces, inspired by the landscape, for homes. She met her husband there in Tulsa, now of 55 years, worked in banking and investments for a time, and in the mid 80's decided to move back to Austin.

Judith's paintings are jazz improv brought to a visual form. They are lyrical and fluid, full of color and sprinkled with intricate details. They work like landscapes a bit, perhaps topographic maps, but instead of defining a perspective space they describe an emotional reflection on color, form and shape. They are a dance. They are a song. And they are evolving as well. Recently she has been combining her paintings with her macramé work. She's breaking the surface of the canvas and using macramé to come off, and into, the viewer's space.

With each piece, Judith is actively working to bring these two mediums closer, and honestly, I'm not surprised. That's what Judith does. She approaches art playfully and experimentally. She improvs. She has fun. It was a wonderful time sitting down with Judith for this interview. Watch our Community Conversation with Judith here.

Good luck Judith, and congratulations on your Artist of the Month recognition!