Life In The Balance

Artist Matt Miller pursues understanding

Fayetteville artist Matt Miller is showing his work this month at the Arts Center of the Ozarks in Springdale.
Fayetteville artist Matt Miller is showing his work this month at the Arts Center of the Ozarks in Springdale.

Matt Miller takes the pursuit of his art very seriously.

"I started experimenting in art class in high school, kind of got a taste of it, and I knew I had to keep doing it. It was part of my journey," the Fayetteville painter says. "Art now is part of the pursuit to find balance in my life and make sense of everything."

FAQ

On Show:

Matt Miller

WHEN — July 8-31 with a reception 6-8 p.m. July 14

WHERE — Arts Center of the Ozarks in Springdale

COST — Free

INFO — 751-5441

Raised in Jonesboro, Miller started looking for inspiration in literature and music, then "it just kind of became a necessity for me to create art to express the things I was learning in life." He came to the University of Arkansas to earn a degree in finance and soon decided "that wasn't the ticket. Everything felt wrong. My mind said it was a smart move, but my heart said it was not the right move. But I fell in love with Fayetteville and the vibe and nature being so close."

Miller's studio, located in downtown Fayetteville, has become a hub of activity, hosting everything from plays to New Year's Eve celebrations. It makes for a hectic space for the artist.

"Human interaction really inspires the art," he says. "What I do struggle with is because it's such an active place, people come in to tap in to that energy. So tapping out of that and being able to create art within that is a tough scenario. But being able to use it as inspiration is very special -- the people you meet, the conversations you get to have. Art is the window to the human conversation."

Miller says his exhibition at the Arts Center of the Ozarks, which opens Wednesday, does have a common theme among the pieces.

"It's about tapping in to the frequency in which you want to become," he says. "It's about understanding that we all come from the same place, understanding that we're all connected, and then trying to tap into that and be in that mindset on a daily basis -- to try to be in tune on a daily basis. So figuring out the balance of how to do that is the search I'm pursuing, through meditation, reflection and finding the flow in life."

-- Becca Martin-Brown

[email protected]

NAN What's Up on 07/03/2015

Upcoming Events