Photography | PENNSYLVANIA Interview with J. COLEMAN MILLER
-As a child what did you want to become? (profession-wise)
A Beatle.
-In which town did you grow up? Outside of Philadelphia, PA.
-Do you think your background influences your current photography style? If so, what specific element in your background is most pervasive in influencing your current photography style?
I do all of my creative battles with the oppressive ghost of Salvatore Dali, and I really do thrive on chaos and deadlines, welcome to my world!
-What inspires you in the job of being a photographer?
The job? I photograph over 7500 preschool sittings each year, every year for 20 years now (I work pretty hard for it), and the love those kids show me is priceless... to them, I am the funniest guy in the world. I used to get in trouble for being the class clown, and now I make a whole bunch of money doing it! Being able to give back to the community really is inspiring as well -- we are able to raise over 25K each year for early- learning programs in Houston. The best part, though, is the fact that I am making something tangible and timeless. Tens of thousands of our little clients will have my beautiful portraits in their families for generations to come - my work endures. The art is a different story - not a job at all - an obsession... something I just have to do.
-How is it to work with companies that are embracing your photography?
Having the same happy clients for over 20 years is a blessing, and I am flattered when they turn the other companies down flat (to complete the work). It is an honor, but it was also a lot of hard work. I am also grateful to my growing list of collectors for their interest in my crazy fine-art pieces and for the reception I have gotten from the art world since I started my art gallery. The nice part about that is being able to give other artists a better chance to show their art to the world.
Together, we are more powerful. There is a huge catalog of relevant contemporary art at
AleatoricArt.com. There are some great artists from around the world who are using the element of chance to create modern masterpieces. We have done two very successful shows at Aqua and Red Dot since our debut a little over a year ago, and the invitations keep coming in from galleries and corporations.
-Do you have any other creative ambitions or dreams to which you aspire?
I would like to open a large gallery in Houston with a really nice bar that serves up perfect cocktails and my wife’s great Italian- and Asian-inspired dishes, complete with a live music venue. Investors are welcome!
-Which basic elements of creativity did your family teach you?
Wow - do you have room for that? I guess love came first - everything after that was kind of easy. I think god (or nature or whatever that really is) created the most beautiful work of art (woman, particularly my wife). After that (inspiration), we who wish to create beauty have all been playing a game of one-upmanship with each other since we were drawing on caves. I am glad to be a part of that - those artists of the past seem like family to me.
-How did you get the idea for this type of photography?
Completely by chance - I was shooting different elements for another project when I came across a photo of moving water with an accidental monster right in the middle of it (below).
-Do you have a favorite photographer yourself?
Not really - I am interested mainly in the Dadaist painters and sculptors. Making “a picture of something” never did it for me - from the macro of a flower to the splendor of Ansel Adams’ landscapes, it was still just a picture of something to me. Truly abstract art can come from photography accidentally, I believe, but with a little help - you just have to get Nature to cooperate sometimes. And you must be persistent, and it will pay off - sometimes a great image can raise the hairs on the back of your neck. My favorite photographers will be the ones who take my methods to the next level.
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