They say that to be a good writer, you should write about what you know. I believe the same holds true for painting. Growing up in rural Ohio provided me with unlimited inspiration, from the gentle rolling countryside to the scattered barns that punctuate it. I have come to know the subtle beauty woven into these places, and it has become my life’s pursuit to share that beauty with the world.
Approaching Storm, oil on canvas, 36 x 48” (91 x 121 cm) This piece is loosely based on an Amish farm not far from where I grew up. This otherwise peaceful scene is being undermined by the approach of an oncoming storm. I painted this piece largely in an attempt to ask the viewer a question: Is the storm a harbinger of destruction, or will these simple structures and way of life endure? The weight of this question is reinforced by the color palette. The use of tonalism creates a heavy atmosphere, increasing the overall tension of the painting. The viewer is left in this suspended moment to contend with the future.
After the Rains, oil on canvas, 36 x 48” (91 x 121 cm) This painting was done without any reference photo. I had a very clear image in my head and quickly transferred it to a small canvas. Over the next few days I refined it and began working on the larger version. I centered the composition to make the barn seem monumental, almost iconic, while a simple dirt path leads the eye gently towards it. While I do want the textures and details to maintain a sense of realism in this piece, I did exaggerate the colors and contrast to give an overall poetic feel to it.
Beauty is not always “pretty.” I try not to portray the barns in my paintings as idyllic, picturesque scenes. Instead, I am more interested in exploring the quiet beauty that exists in simplicity. Much of my work is meant to confront the viewer with an honest portrayal of these barns and landscapes—stripped of grandeur, yet never of dignity. Like rural America itself, the barns stand defiant and proud in their usefulness, though there is often a sense that their time is passing, revealed in the gentle weathering of their boards.
Soybean, oil on linen panel, 10 x 10” (25 x 25 cm) In stark contrast to Approaching Storm, this painting is not putting the viewer in a tense situation, rather a more contemplative one. The fog obscuring the background provides a quiet moment for the viewer to contemplate the foreground, taking note of all the little details and color variation. I’ve always found a sense of peace in those quiet, rainy days and wanted to capture that peace as best I could.
Barn, oil on canvas, 36 x 60” (91 x 152 cm) This painting is also based on an Amish farm not far from where I grew up and one of the few pieces in which I relied on photo reference. There was so much character in the barn, it felt wrong to not tell its story faithfully. I did make significant changes to the landscape and weather around it to help tell its story, however. Using fog to limit the details of the background forces the viewer to contend with the barn and tasks at hand. Overall, this piece is a comment on solitude, rural endurance and the quiet dignity of agricultural life.
While I take my own reference photographs, most of the painting process is done from my head. The mood, color and composition are guided primarily by what I am trying to express in each piece. Still, I find it important to incorporate select details from my references to ground the work in reality. Occasionally, I also complete plein air studies to inform my studio practice.
Once I map out an idea on the canvas, I begin with a quick base layer. This allows me to test color harmony and establish movement before gradually building depth and detail in the final layers. —
About the artist
Michael Miller
Michael Miller is an American oil painter based in rural Ohio. His passion for history and rural American architecture began in childhood, when his family took him to Gettysburg. He was captivated by the old barns there and by the stories embedded in their weathered wood and worn beams. At 13, his family moved from Cleveland, Ohio, to a quiet country town, where he began sketching the local landscape and paying closer attention to the everyday world around him.
Miller is largely self-taught, though he credits his high school art teacher with providing a strong foundation. He built on that foundation for years through steady practice and independent study, eventually deciding to apply to local art shows. In 2014, he began participating in art shows, where his barn and landscape paintings quickly gained attention. He earned multiple awards, and in 2015, he was encouraged to pursue painting full time. For the next several years, he continued exhibiting at art shows across the country.
In recent years, Miller’s career has expanded into notable gallery exhibitions and professional opportunities. In 2022, he was awarded a residency at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Pennsylvania, where he taught plein air painting to guests; he was invited back for a second residency in 2023. In October 2023, his work was featured in The Great Outdoors exhibition at Arcadia Contemporary in New York City. The following year, he presented a solo exhibition, Heartland, at Abend Gallery in Denver, Colorado, and he continues to participate in group shows with both galleries.
In 2025, Miller was selected to serve as a judge for the 2026 Almenara Art Prize. Most recently, he won the International Artist Award of Excellence in the prestigious 2025 ARC Salon Competition and was featured in a spotlight show at Arcadia Contemporary.
Contact at
michaelmillerfineart.net