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J Matt Miller developed his passion for drawing while growing up in northwestern Montana.  His first formal art education was not until he attended Houghton College in New York. However, his ability as a draftsman drew the attention of painting professor Ted Murphy, who became a close friend and mentor. It was through Murphy’s influence that Miller spent 16 months in the studio of Thomas Buechner, portrait painter and former director of the Brooklyn Art Museum. Buechner’s immense knowledge of art history, portraiture, landscape, and still-life served to hone Miller’s technique and interests.

In my paintings, I try to convey my fascination with antique objects and art history. I paint objects with intrinsic character that seem to have a story to tell. Sometimes I combine this with old master prints and Victorian photographs to heighten the feeling of timelessness and mystery. My paintings have been referred to as “silent dialogs," “collages,"and “reminisces."I enjoy painting subjects that would otherwise go unnoticed. 

Miller presently lives in the San Juan Islands, Washington, with his wife Diana and their four children.