Zelga Miller British, b. 1971

Zelga Simone Miller's work speaks of layers, of peeling back the veneers of the everyday to contemplate what is beneath. Her work questions the surface, her scenes are imbued with a serenity which when examined closer hide a sense of disquiet. She says, ‘My practice looks beyond the physical elegance of the line and more intensively towards the emotional vulnerability of the figure.’

 

Rooted in an archival approach, with an appreciation of the rich potential of drawing, Zelga Miller's work often begins with a figure from memory or a photograph. Each composition is poised, there is a sense of balance and reflection, a moment before or perhaps after an event. The softness of Zelga’s colour palette gives each piece a dreamlike impression, this aesthetic feels intensely feminine and is an opening into her enquiring mind. Space in the work is a strong theme, giving room to develop personal connections and conversations around each piece.

 

Zelga’s practice uses a range of media, she moves deftly between printmaking, drawing and painting, in pursuit of a balance between a sense of stillness and dynamic fluidity. Ultimately, she says ‘I see my practice as examining humankind’s actions, emotions and subsequent resilience; I am fascinated by our capacity to adapt to adversity.’

 

In 2016 – 2017, Zelga attended a Complete Drawing short course at Ruskin School of Art before attending an Oil Painting course at Central Saint Martins in 2017. She then graduated an MFA Fine Art from Wimbledon School of Art & Oxford Brookes University, after which she undertook a course through Turps Banana Painting School from 2022 – 2023. Zelga Miller exhibits internationally with her paintings and prints including the 2023 Royal Academy Summer Show.