Linda Lawson Miller, a long-time resident of Newport,  joined the Valley Arts Alliance this year for the opportunity to share her art and to meet other artists in the area. She creates in acrylic, watercolor and mixed media paintings. In addition to being a fine arts painter; Linda is co-owner of Miller Signs and Graphics, Inc., where her talents as a graphic artist and sign maker are utilized.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Bowling Green State University in Ohio with a dual major in painting and education, she taught K-6 art in the Hempstead public school in Spring Valley, NY. After 5 years at Hempstead, she then taught at a private school K-12 for children from broken homes. Shortly before leaving her teaching job, she started a business using her creative talents making custom leather coats and suits, hand- embroidered peasant blouses and cowboy-styled shirts.

In 1972, Miller moved to Maine, fell in love with the beauty of the state and the people and has lived here ever since.

She and her husband, Jim also an artist, live on Lake Sebasticook and feel very fortunate to have such an inspiring environment in which to work and be creative. In 1984, they started their own business making carved, gold leaf signs and doing various other types of commercial artwork, but always working on their own art. After many years of working in their business, Linda has gotten back to painting more and looking for venues to show her work.

Miller says “I have painted off and on since my mother who was also a painter, handed me a brush when I was about four years old. She was an area art supervisor in a school system in West Virginia. I followed her lead and became an art teacher myself.

I enjoy creating art because most of the time it gives me great pleasure, especially once I've decided on what I want to paint. My favorite subjects are taken mostly from nature.

This amazing beauty challenges me to create my own interpretation of what I see rather than attempting photographic realism. After deciding what the basic layout will be, my focus goes more to

enhancing the colors and taking liberties with variations of shapes. I apply the paint, layering color upon color, working each color and combinations of the color around the canvas. The stroke of my

brush has energy and purpose trying to capture the essence of the experience that I'm feeling. This art from my heart is also carried through my total environment; from my landscaped gardens, my

choice of personal clothing, jewelry, the decorating of my home...it's a whole lifestyle.”

You can view her work at  www.lindalawsonmiller.com or www.millerart.com or  by appointment 368-5153.