Wheat Fields
Bill Miller is a collage artist who has been using vintage linoleum flooring as his medium for almost 20 years. Linoleum was the ultimate interior medium, present in all aspects of 20th century life from Grandma’s kitchen to the corner drug store and neighborhood school. Miller’s images range from bucolic landscapes to surrealistic, fiercely political pieces that draw on iconic news and pop culture images that have informed society’s common memory. His unexpected use of familiar patterns taps into the medium’s nostalgic qualities, imparting a sense of personal history and rediscovery within each piece. In 2012 Miller created the artwork for the 13th annual Woodstock Film Festival, joining notable artists Peter Max, Milton Glaser and Bill Plimpton who were previously selected for this honor. And for the past four years he has participated in Drap Art, an international exhibition held every year in Barcelona of art work made from recycled material.
I work with recycled vintage linoleum because it is too beautiful to be discarded, and it bears the scars and wear of those whose lives were spent walking on it. I have accumulated literally tons of it, and in searching through it I find the material often influences the final images in ways I do not anticipate. I acquire my material from abandoned houses, construction sites, dumpsters, ebay and donations from people who would otherwise dispose of it. I cut and tear it with my hands and simple shears, applying it with construction grade adhesive and finishing with a clear varnish. No additional paint is added.
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