Six months after artist Natalie Miller graduated from Oklahoma Christian University with a BFA in graphic design and illustration, she secured a dream job with Hobby Lobby. Over the next 11 years, she worked her way up from a graphic designer to an arts manager. After the birth of her second child, combined with her husband being a firefighter working 24-hour shifts, Miller realized she needed to make a change. Although she had been painting during her free time since college, Miller decided to pursue her art full-time.
“Figuring out who I was without that job was tricky,” she admitted. “You can definitely tell a difference in my art and see its evolution over the last six years.”
Miller’s paintings are now becoming a recognizable part of Oklahoma’s art scene. “Last year, Starbucks contacted me to do a permanent collection for their new store in Chickasha. I did a huge 5×6 piece and also three others for their walls, which were installed for their opening in September of 2022,” she said. When asked how such a big corporation found her, Miller laughed. “They were looking for a Native Chickasaw artist to feature in that store since the store is in the Chickasaw Nation. I’m Chickasaw, and I think they found me through a #ChickasawArtist hashtag on Instagram.”
Last winter, Miller decided to dabble in hand-painted ceramic Christmas ornaments, which she says are now “taking their own journey.” The ornaments are each primed and painted, with layers of gold foil and tassels as accents, hung by a velvet ribbon. Each ornament is individualized and no two are alike. At a $60 price point, they represent a chance to purchase an original piece of holiday art.
Last winter, Miller decided to dabble in hand-painted ceramic Christmas ornaments, which she says are now “taking their own journey.” The ornaments are each primed and painted, with layers of gold foil and tassels as accents, hung by a velvet ribbon. Each ornament is individualized and no two are alike. At a $60 price point, they represent a chance to purchase an original piece of holiday art.
Accessibility is important to Miller, which is evident by the vast array of sizes in which she offers her paintings. Her typical medium is acrylic on canvas, using bright colors and geometric shapes to draw in attention. Her paintings are influenced by textiles, wallpaper, fabrics and things in nature. In 2020, she displayed pieces at Picasso Cafe that were influenced by a ribbon skirt from her cultural heritage.
While that Chickasaw heritage is clearly important to her, Miller said, “I feel like my art is something I would do whether I was Chickasaw or not. I know the meaning behind my paintings, but it doesn’t necessarily scream what my inspiration is. You can like my pieces without knowing what inspired [them], because color evokes emotion and in all of my art, that’s my goal: to have the person viewing it feel something.”
This year, Miller has focused on doing more arts festivals, including the Santa Fe Indian Market, the largest of its kind in the United States. Educating the viewer seems to be an integral part of these markets. “What people might deem as simple is actually really complex,” she said. “How I put it together, the color combinations, the hours that I put in … I don’t use tape, I sketch everything out and mix each individual color to be the shade I want it. I use between six to eight layers of paint to make the colors vibrant. I’m big on staying true to the art form, I like the wiggle of my hand. I like that each piece is original and comes from me.”
Locally, you can find Miller’s Christmas ornaments at Exhibit C Gallery and Red Earth Gallery, which are both downtown, and Wildfire Gallery in the Paseo. They are also available at Smash Bangles, in Santa Fe. Follow @NatalieMillerArts on social media for more information on Miller’s paintings.
