Stan Miller

Thirty years of patient watercolor, and a C that became an A

Stan Miller has been painting in watercolor for more than thirty years. Over that time, he’s developed a style that feels patient and observant. There’s nothing rushed about his work. A lot of that seems to come from simply spending years painting, teaching, and learning to notice the little things that are easy to overlook.

Miller is a signature member of the American Watercolor Society, and his work has been exhibited in galleries and museums throughout the United States and in other countries as well. He also continues to teach watercolor workshops, both around Spokane and in other parts of the country and world.

Spokane has been home for most of Miller’s life, although he didn’t grow up there. His childhood was spent on a small farm in South Dakota before his family moved to Washington. He later studied Applied Arts and Commercial Art at Spokane Falls Community College. Other than about two years in Pennsylvania, he has remained in the Spokane area.

When he talks about becoming an artist, Miller often goes back to things that happened when he was young. He remembers watching his older brother draw and also remembers visiting the home of a watercolorist and being impressed by what he saw. They might seem like small experiences, but they stayed with him.

His start with watercolor itself wasn’t exactly a success. In his first watercolor class, Miller received a C, which was the lowest grade he had ever received in an art class. Instead of giving up on it, he took the class again. The second time around, he earned an A. More importantly, he discovered that he really enjoyed watercolor.

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  An older man with a full white beard and wire glasses looks aside, his face built from warm, broken strokes of red, ochre and blue. A deep, smoky background makes the lit head glow, showing Stan Miller's strength in expressive portraiture.

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  A tightly cropped face fills the sheet, eyes lifted and lit from above. Miller layers dark indigo and umber with warm highlights, letting the edges fade into white paper for a raw, intense portrait.

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  A young woman with blue eyes and loose brown waves smiles softly toward the viewer. Warm ochre and umber washes shape her hair, while the unpainted white around her keeps the portrait light and fresh.

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  An older man in a pale cowboy hat gazes steadily from beneath its brim, his weathered face shaped in warm and violet tones. Loose washes around the hat and shoulders fade into white paper.

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  An abandoned wooden rowboat with peeling white paint sits deep in windblown grass, a red shingled building behind it. Miller renders every blade and flake of paint with patient realism.

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  A rutted trail leads through golden grass and autumn trees toward blue hills, with a still puddle reflecting the sky. Bright sunlight and crisp detail capture a cool fall day in the Pacific Northwest, where Miller paints.

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  Crumbling brick walls and moored boats line a narrow Venetian canal, their colors mirrored in calm green and blue water. Miller renders the shifting reflections with careful, realistic detail.

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  Sunlit Venetian houses with peeling plaster, exposed stone and chimneys rise above a narrow canal under a deep blue sky. A small boat rests in the shadowed water below.

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  A bearded man in a flat cap and wire glasses looks down, his face glowing in warm orange light against a sepia background. Rich reds and browns give the portrait a quiet, reflective mood.

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  A grey-bearded man in a denim shirt and woven vest looks thoughtfully to the side. Fine, layered strokes build the textured background and the lifelike detail of his face.

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  A young woman with curled hair lowers her gaze, her face shaped in warm browns and deep blues. Loose grey and ochre washes surround the head and fade into white paper.

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  A young girl glances over her shoulder with a faint smile and clear blue eyes. Cool greens and violets in her wavy hair contrast with soft, glowing skin tones on white paper.

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  An older man in a broad hat looks down, his lined face lit in warm ochre against cool blue and green washes. The rough, layered texture of the skin gives the portrait a strong sense of age and character.

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  A white-bearded man in round glasses tilts his head into warm light. Cool violet shadows and bright untouched paper create the glow on his face and beard.

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  A young woman with wavy blonde hair lowers her eyes, her face softly lit against a deep black background. Smooth glazes create realistic skin, while loose strokes give the hair its movement.

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  A man's face fills the frame in dark blue, violet and brown, his eyes catching small points of light. Loose edges and splashes of green and white surround the tightly modeled features.

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  A young woman with loose blonde hair looks down calmly, a patterned collar at her neck. A dark blue wash behind her head fades into white paper below.

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  A bearded man with short curly hair looks down, his head lit from the left. Dark blue and olive washes behind him contrast with the bright paper surrounding the portrait.

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  A young woman with swept-back auburn hair lowers her eyes in quiet thought. Strong light bleaches one side of her face, and soft violet shadows dissolve into the white sheet.

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  A young woman with nearly closed eyes is built from bold patches of blue, violet and golden yellow. The loose, direct handling shows a freer side of Miller's portrait work.

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  A child looks directly at the viewer with steady dark eyes. Warm brown and ochre shapes model the face, while quick strokes of teal and green break up the edges.

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  An older man in a green plaid cap and round glasses looks down through his lenses. His white beard is left largely as bare paper, edged with cool blue shadow.

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  A young girl with curly hair gazes slightly past the viewer. Green, violet and ochre washes around her head blend into her hair, framing a carefully modeled face.

By 1973, Miller was selling some of his paintings. The prices weren’t much at first sometimes only a few dollars but it gave him enough encouragement to take the next step. He decided to pursue watercolor full time. That decision eventually led to decades of exhibitions, awards, teaching, and a growing reputation beyond Spokane.

Over the years, Miller has received recognition from the American Watercolor Society and has exhibited his work internationally, including in France, Thailand, and Vietnam. He has also received several Best of Show awards. His paintings have appeared in museums, magazines, books, and juried exhibitions.

He continues to paint and teach today. His workshops take him around the United States and internationally, giving him a chance to share what he has learned over a career that began with a C in a watercolor class and grew into a lifelong commitment to the medium.

See more of Stan Miller’s watercolor paintings and classes on his official website: Stan Miller’s Official Website