Lori Miller was born and raised in the Quad City area of Iowa and Illinois on the Mississippi. A graduate of Marycrest College in Davenport, Iowa, Miller has developed her unique style and is largely self-taught. Working in this media for over twenty-six years, she continues to explore new techniques. Currently, her work incorporates fabric and metal, rock or other found objects. Many of these mosaic compositions feature an interpretation of geological shapes and relationships. These abstract works capture the beauty found in natural formations and the effect of natural phenomena or man-created residue.
“Why fabric? I embrace the variety fabric provides in color, texture and form. Just like a traditional painter, I work with my medium to explore subjects and communicate ideas. Fiber offers texture to a work and adds an exciting dimension. Over the last several years, I have been fascinated with incorporating even more texture to my work by using repurposed materials – junk I may find on the ground or perhaps a beautiful minutia of nature.
Years ago, I combined my love of fabric with my experience in creating stained glass work. I created my mosaic style by taking a subject and drawing out each individual mosaic to develop a pattern. As I matured with that process, I moved to working organically without a precise drawing, instead cutting each piece as I develop the work. Time-consuming, but the final work is highly detailed and allows me more painterly options in shadowing, texture and form.”
