The Anniversary Painting

Peter Miller

Oil on canvas, 35 x 44 inches

Inscribed by artist on verso

Framed

American artist Peter Miller (1913-1996) was born Henrietta Myers in Hanover, Pennsylvania. She began using the name Peter Miller after concluding her studies at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 1934 and her marriage to fellow artist and Academy student Earle Miller in 1935. She felt collectors and critics would take her paintings more seriously if she was identified as a male. In childhood, Henrietta and her best friend Ruth picked fictitious nicknames for themselves, and Henrietta reportedly decided upon the name Peter because she liked the idea that it was derived from the Greek word for “rock” or “stone”. Drawn to being one with the natural world would prove to be an essential inspiration to her creativity throughout her life. Miller is classified as an American Modernist, a reputation she earned for having shown at the prestigious gallery and premiere showcase for Surrealist painting of Julien Levy in New York in the 1940s. Reviewers of her exhibitions noted the unmistakable influence of the artists Joan Miró, whose work she owned and whom she knew, and Arthur Carles, whom she studied with, and sources in Native American culture, which came from sharing time between her home state of Pennsylvania and New Mexico. Peter and her husband Earle considered New Mexico their spiritual home, and in 1935 they built a ranch in Española, about 25 miles north of Santa Fe. Being neighbors of the indigenous people of the Tewa Pueblo, their crafts and religious beliefs fascinated Peter and the reliance of Native Americans upon the land and the animals permeated her work for most of her career. A Wedding Gift from Peter to her husband Earle Miller. Inscribed "For Pearlie on our 35th Anniversary from Peter"

Additional work by this artist

Communication

Communication

Peter Miller
Ancient Fragments

Ancient Fragments

Peter Miller
Flower Spirit

Flower Spirit

Peter Miller
Serpent

Serpent

Peter Miller

Other works in Modern

Hope Between Poles

Hope Between Poles

Michele Krauss
Heroic

Heroic

Ray Leight
Hemisphere

Hemisphere

Joseph Amarotico

Other works in Abstract

Deer Dance

Deer Dance

Peter Miller
Attention

Attention

Ray Leight
Morris Blackman Geometric Abstract V Oil on Board 68x38 Lower Center 72 79 LR

Geometric Abstract V

Morris Blackman

Other works in Modernism

Dreamer

Dreamer

Peter Miller
Morris Blackman Biomorphic Abstract III Oil on Board 40x60 Lower Center 64 65 LR

Biomorphic Abstract #3

Morris Blackman
Citadel

Citadel

Peter Miller
Magic Circle

Magic Circle

Peter Miller

Other works in Peter Miller Collection

Two Figures

Two Figures

Peter Miller
Indian Signs

Indian Signs

Peter Miller
Yellow Flower

Yellow Flower

Peter Miller