“I made this piece my senior year (2020) a time when everyone was trying to figure out their entire life plan within a couple months. It was an incredibly stressful time, but in painting I find peace,” she said.
As a student, Miller volunteered, worked and read in the library frequently. “I wanted to leave a remnant of myself and my experience here. I hope that someday when I come back to visit, I will be reminded of where I was when it was put up and see how far I have come in my future since.”
She says the mural can be viewed in different ways. “When making my mural, I wanted to portray how isolating, dark and difficult to maneuver personal life changes can be, but also how you don’t have to view the piece in this way. You can see light in the distance, curiosity, and a clear path away from obstacles. When viewing, I want people to take a step back, look at the bigger picture, search for meaning and then – not to be cheesy – reach for the stars.”
Miller took many art classes during her high school career and excelled in helping to make detailed costumes and props for her world finals Odyssey of the Mind team. She continues to enjoy painting, drawing and making macramé projects along with working with other art mediums. She also, always admired another piece of art in the library.
“I spent my entire life admiring the other piece in the library with bubbles, so I hope that perhaps my piece will inspire another young artist to leave their own meaningful mark in the same fashion,” she said. “It feels unreal to have my first ever piece on display for the whole town to see!”
Miller is a sophomore at Grand Valley State University this fall. She is double majoring in Environmental Science and Natural Resource Management. “I hope to bring my creativity into this ever changing field, because I believe that with an open mind and adaptability, perhaps even "wicked problems" can be solved,” she said.