Featured Employee: John Hawthorne

Name: John Hawthorne

Title: Director of Sales

What do you do for Miller? I am in charge of sales growth and stability. (Luci: so much goes into this….John had lots more in his answer but I shortened it!)

Where are you from? Born in Bryan, TX and don’t remember a thing about it. Grew up in Austin.

What is your favorite activity around Austin? UT sporting events (football & baseball games), and live music. These are the 2 things I’ve done the longest in my life in Austin.

What is your favorite Austin Original? Matt’s El Rancho. The Bob and there’s not a bad dish on the menu.

What is a favorite Austin “thing” you’d recommend doing? You’ve got to see live music at a Saxon Pub, Continental Club, Haute Spot, Stubbs type place. It’s where music evolves in Austin.

What’s your favorite barbecue joint? Snow’s BBQ in Lexington, TX. Best meat I’ve ever tasted. Brisket, ribs, pork tenderloin, and sausage.

What is on your bucket list for the next 5 years? Going to Italy with family

What do you like most about working for Miller? The opportunity to work for a quintessential Austin Original and help it attain the (even bigger) success it deserves.

Who do you most admire? My Wife, Mary. Other than my mother, she’s the best person I’ve ever known.

What is your favorite food? 2 ½ inch thick Prime Rib Eye that I cook

If you could get tacos from only one place in Austin, where would it be? Veracruz for breakfast tacos and Matt’s El Rancho Asadero steak tacos for later in the day.

What are your three favorite movies? Animal House, Dazed & Confused, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

www.millerids.com

Graphics Feature: Growth Acceleration Partners

Go with interior graphics to cover your walls!

Ready to bring some color to your office walls this spring? It’s easy to do, honest!

We are thrilled to work with our client Growth Acceleration Partners (GAP) to provide wall graphics, communicating their core values, creating a colorful environment – generally sprucing up their offices from front to back! Did it help to do this while the office was empty? Sure, but not necessary! Contact us to help YOU with fun and mood enhancing walls.

GAP also chose to communicate their brand while also incorporating some carefully chosen visual elements. Each space feels incredibly unique – check out ALL the photos!

We are covering walls left and right – adhesives are a great solution, while true wallpaper is also an option we can provide.

Contact @Josh Meza today to get started on your next project!

Miller Imaging: bringing your creative concepts to life!

February Artist of the Month: Debbie Shands Celusniak

Debbie Shands Celusniak is an emerging landscape painter based in Austin, and her artistic journey started later than most. But Debbie truly believes it’s never too late to follow your creative calling!

Through her paintings, she invites viewers to step into the outdoors. Debbie’s goal is for her work to make people feel like they’re walking along a trail, immersed in the sights and sounds of nature. “I hope my art inspires others to slow down, get outside, and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us every day.”

“I paint with acrylics on wood panels, which helps me connect with the natural materials that inspire my work. With a background in graphic design, I bring a fresh, simple, and expressive energy to my pieces.”

“I love hiking through Texas – from city sidewalks and Hill Country trails, to the sandy beaches along the Gulf Coast. Each hike reveals a wealth of visual treasures, and I am continually captivated by nature’s endless patterns and vibrant color palettes.”

Contact Debbie:
Website: artfromthetrail.portfoliobox.net
Facebook: Debbie Celusniak
Instagram: @deb.shands.celusniak

Debbie’s Upcoming Events:
April 5: 1st Saturday Arts Market, Houston Heights
May 3: King Williams Art Fair, San Antonio
May 17: Mermaid Festival in San Marcos
July 5: Art Fest, Rockport

Contact our fine art specialist, Dana Burton, for more information on fine art scans and reproduction.

January Artist of the Month: Don Collins

Born in Houston in time to launch the Great Depression, Collins was raised on his Irish Grandfathers small ranch in Parker County, Texas and spent an idyllic boyhood on the banks of the Trinity River. Art became almost an obsession at an early age.

After service in the United States Army Remount Service (Horse Cavalry) during the Korean Conflict, Collins graduated with a BFA from the University of Texas – Austin and immediately began a 56-year career as a free-lance commercial illustrator in Austin. This encompassed a wide variety of subjects, and in 1967 easel painting and art shows were added to his resume.

He exhibited for 34 years at the Annual Laguna Gloria Fiesta, a pioneer outdoor show. He also showed at the Waco Brazos Fest for a couple of decades as well. He showed in most of the larger cities around the Great Lone Star with subject matter ranging from sporting/wildlife, architecture, and historical subjects as well as working on pieces encompassing space exploration and portraiture. Collins departed central Texas in 2008 to Arlington to be near family and remained engaged in art activities, painting for pleasure and commissions. Don passed away with loved ones nearby on October 4^th, 2024.

Don’s Website: dchandart.com

Contact our fine art specialist, Dana Burton, for more information on fine art scans and reproduction.

January Artist of the Month: Brad & Mary Barminski Johnson

Barminski Johnson is a husband & wife collaborative team that has been working together on creative projects for the past 22 years.

Combining husband Brad Johnson’s background in Architecture and Interior Design with wife, Mary Barminski’s background in Fine Art and Graphic Design (with Dwain Kelley/Kelleygraphics since 1983) to find inventive design solutions that speak to the processes of collaboration and integration to elevate the creative results.

Contact our fine art specialist, Dana Burton, for more information on fine art scans and reproduction.

January Artist of the Month: Brad & Mary Barminski Johnson

Barminski Johnson is a husband & wife collaborative team that has been working together on creative projects for the past 22 years.

Contact our fine art specialist, Dana Burton, for more information on fine art scans and reproduction.

Graphics Feature: Urbanspace Sales Center

Since 2000, Urbanspace has served as Austin’s first and only full-service urban core living solutions company, providing real estate development, sales, and marketing expertise — amplified by our in-house interior design studio + modern furniture showroom — with an intense passion for living the urban lifestyle. We are an organization committed to Austin’s growth and development, with an emphasis on architectural design, sustainable development, urban communities and modern design products from around the globe.

Urbanspace put their stamp on the Austin skyline with The Modern Austin Residences, a 56 story condo tower entirely developed, marketed, and sold by Urbanspace. To create an immersive sales center experience for their buyers, they worked with us to take advantage of the vertical space on the walls and windows, with displays that included a panoramic aerial view from the tower, a map of the vibrant neighborhood surrounding The Modern, and a timeline of Urbanspace’s major milestones.

“The sales center turned out even better than we hoped, and a lot of the credit goes to the Miller IDS team. We were impressed by their professionalism and the quality of the work. They made the process of moving from conceptual designs to reality a breeze. We had a great experience working with Miller!” – Robbie Polk

For more information on Urbanspace:
Main website: www.urbanspacelifestyle.com
The Modern website: www.modernaustinresidences.com
Instagram (Real Estate): @urbanspacerealtors
Instagram (Interiors): @urbanspaceinteriors
Instagram (Design Studio): @urbanspacedesignstudio

To get started on your own graphics project, contact Sydney at CSSR@MillerIDS.com.

December Artist of the Month: Mary Doerr

Austin artist Mary Doerr entered the world as Mary Hugh Colley on January 15, 1934, in Memphis, Texas. After her sister, Jane, entered the world, it became apparent to parents Hugh and Eva Colley that their Depression-era school teacher wages could not support the family, so the family moved to Austin in search of opportunity.

Mary’s father got a job with the state. Mary’s mother put her art degree to work as curator of UT’s Rare Book Collection, where she rebound and repaired old books and manuscripts.

The Colleys lived on East Avenue (now I-35), just south of 19th Street (now Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.). It was at John B. Winn Elementary (later the site of UT’s baseball stadium, Disch-Falk Field) that she was introduced to a major influence on her life: Girl Scouts. She loved scouting because it was the one place she could do things considered “too strenuous” for girls at the time.

At University Junior High, she discovered that physical education was her favorite subject. At Stephen F. Austin High School her love of sports led her to join the tennis team, and her love of Girl Scouts took her from camper to counselor at Camp Texlake on Lake Travis.

Throughout those years, her love for creating art grew to wanting to major in art in college. But with practical advice from her mother, Mary entered the University of Texas in 1952, studying to become a physical education teacher. That led to teaching middle school PE in Alvin, Texas, which led to marrying Danny Doerr, which led to the birth of a daughter, Robin, in 1962.

In 1966 Austin called again and the Doerr family answered. Now Mary’s love of Girl Scouts led to a career with the organization, including teaching adult leaders the outdoor skills they needed for teaching the girls.

With similar interests and children of the same age, Mary and Ginny Findeisen became friends and Girl Scout colleagues – a friendship that was to have a profound influence on Mary’s life. Mary credits Ginny with encouraging her to take the first step toward realizing her lifelong dream of becoming a professional artist. By then in her late 40s, Mary took that leap of faith and earned a masters in art at UT.

At her first art show, she received a commission for 10 watercolors. At her second show, at the Old Pecan Street Arts Festival, she realized the success of her Austin scenes meant her dream really could become a reality. Then with proceeds from publishing prints of her paintings, she started her own business – Mary Doerr Studio – in 1985, with Ginny as her business partner. Ten years later she was able to open her own gallery, Images of Austin and the Southwest, on Burnet Road.

Through the following decades, Mary became one of Austin’s most prolific and popular artists, earning her the title of “The Lady Who Paints Austin.”

In 2005, however, failing eyesight meant she could no longer paint. Daughter Robin – who got her own art degree, from UT-El Paso – took over the gallery and frame shop in 2006, letting Mary and Ginny retire to a ranch and enjoy life outdoors in Lampasas County.

Now back in Austin again, publishing “Watercolor Memories of Austin: The Art of Mary Doerr” lets her add “author” to her list of accomplishments – and share her love of her colorful hometown with even more people through her colorful art.

Contact Robin, Mary’s daughter:

Instagram: @Robin.Doerr

Website: marydoerr.com

Contact our fine art specialist, Dana Burton, for more information on fine art scans and reproduction.

November Artist of the Month: Travis Ballantyne

“I was sitting in my 5th grade art class. Our teacher challenged us to submit a design for the cover of the school’s yearbook–and I won! That was the moment I knew I was an artist.”

Growing up in a military family, Travis has been able to travel the world and experience the beauty of many different cultures.

He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of Art and Design at Texas State University – San Marcos. Upon completing his degree, Travis found his passion for teaching and earned an all-level certification in art education and is currently teaching middle school art in Leander ISD.

“I like to describe my art as abstract with an emphasis on color relationships—balancing cool and warm, light and dark. Most of my work is experimental with no true desired outcome.”

“Miller IDS has been so helpful getting my professional art career off and running. The staff is very informative and knowledgeable in their craft. The quality of their products and services are top notch.”

Contact Travis:
Website: travisballantyne.com
Instagram: @travisballantyne

Contact our fine art specialist, Dana Burton, for more information on fine art scans and reproduction.

Graphics Feature: Aquila Commercial Alto Jobsite Signage

We are getting a new neighbor at our downtown location! Aquila Commercial is building a 110,000-sf office development called Alto at 924 East 7th Street, which will plenty of office space as well as luxurious amenities and scenic views of East Austin, Downtown, and the State Capitol.

Our graphics account manager, Josh Meza, worked with Alta to produce construction banners for their jobsite. Our mesh banners are perfect for construction sites because they are durable and the mesh allows wind to flow through without damaging the banner or jobsite itself, as traditional vinyl banners can act like sails and rip fencing down when caught in strong winds. The mesh banners also reduce the loud flapping noise that the wind can cause in other vinyl banners. We sometimes see signage at jobsites that have slits cut into them to prevent wind damage, but with mesh banners there is no need to do this!

If you would like more information on the Alta office space, visit Aquila Commercial’s website and follow them on Instagram at @aquilaaustin.

If you would like to order any jobsite signage or get started on any other graphics order, contact Sydney at CSSR@MillerIDS.com.

September Artist of the Month: Jason Wallerstein

Jason Wallerstein was born in South Florida in 1977. As a child, he played in the swamps along with snakes, frogs, turtles, and spiders, and he appreciates the flora and fauna that make up the South. Jason began his fine arts studies at the prestigious, Dreyfoos High School of the Arts in Palm Beach, Florida. He furthered his art education with a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts from Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA).

Jason Wallerstein’s art is quite colorful and is heavily influenced by animals and nature. Themes include flowers, plants, and life experiences. Jason has a love for printmaking and is constantly painting; focusing on his surrounding locale and adventurous encounters.

Jason Wallerstein and his family moved to Austin in March, 2020. He quickly fell in love with the Texas Hill Country and its’ critters and all of the amazing things (mythical and real) that Central Texas has to offer. From watching the Austin bats flee downtown bridges in search of food at dusk, armadillos in psychedelic party attire, to wild turkeys gobbling aggressively, Jason Wallerstein’s artwork is meant to share his love for all things Texas and the outdoors.”Miller Blueprint’s Dana Burton is so precise and a true perfectionist when it comes to all things color related. Dana is meticulous at color matching prints to the original artwork and really values accuracy, with an

unwillingness to settle for anything less than perfect, which as an artist, is truly important and an asset to have on your side.Sydney Donelson is a super supportive cheerleader for any artist that works with Miller Blueprint! We really love working with Sydney because she is always happy, easy going, friendly, and has an amazing can-do attitude about printing artwork. I know I can shoot off an idea to Sydney and she can give me a run down of what has been done in

the past or, how to execute my ideas to grow our business. I recently had an emergency and needed a large print done and called Sydney in a panic. She was able to quickly assess our needs and even set up delivery, right to our studio!

Working with Miller Blueprint has overall been a true pleasure. The professionalism exuded by Dana and Sydney has allowed us to feel comfortable working with Miller Blueprint. And, we will continue to do so in the future.” – Donna Wallerstein, Sales & Marketing Specialist BrunkyArt

Contact Jason:
Instagram: @brunkyart
Facebook: BrunkyArt
Twitter: @BrunkyArt
Pinterest: @BrunkyArt
Website: brunky.com

Contact our fine art specialist, Dana Burton, for more information on fine art scans and reproduction.

August 2022 Featured Graphics: SMPS Axe Throwing Tournament Signage

SMPS Austin asked us to print event signage for their Second Annual Axe Throwing Tournament. Some of the signage we did were vinyl banners, retractable banners, a step and repeat photo backdrop, floor graphics, decals, and table tents.

Signage is a great way to brand an event whether it be a corporate event or personal. Through the signage, SMPS was able to display sponsors across the entire venue. They also had us print removeable vinyl decals to go on the fridge, which featured the beer and wine sponsors for the event.

All the signage we printed and installed was temporary, meaning the clean up was easy and there was no damage done to the event space. Floor vinyl and decals are some of our most popular event signage because they pack a punch while still being easy to remove.

Our team of four employees also had a blast participating this year! Thank you SMPS for putting on such a fun networking event!

If you would like more information on event signage or anything else graphics related, please reach out to Sydney, at CSSR@MillerIDS.com

July 2022 Featured Graphics: Algorand Event Branding

Algorand hosted a ping pong tournament at Smash ATX to kick off the Consensus conference. They wanted attendees to have the opportunity to compete for special NFTs that were designed specifically for this event.

The goal of this project was to integrate Algorand’s brand identity seamlessly into the existing venue, as though the design was naturally part of the venue’s architecture.

Trott Studio, who planned the event, reached out to us to help make this goal happen. We printed many different cut vinyl pices to be applied to different surfaces including an oversized die cut graphic to apply to the outside of the venue, branding it with Algorand’s name. We also applied green vinyl strips with their name along the edges of the bar, and a large white vinyl logo to be applied over a tile wall in the venue.

Thank you to Algorand and Trott Studios for coming to us for this project and allowing us to be a small part of it!

Algorand’s Website: www.algorand.com
Algorand’s Instagram: @algorand
Trott Studio’s (Event Creative Direction) Instagram: @trott.studios

To get started on your own graphics project, contact Sydney at CSSR@MillerIDS.com.

July 2022 Artist of the Month: Shannon Fannin

Born 1969 in California, artist Shannon “Shan” Fannin brings vehicles to life with a combination of photorealism and abstraction. Painting in a unique style using acrylics, hands, and brushes allows her to focus on the vehicle while giving a hint of the abstract surroundings. Fannin travels within the United States and internationally to photograph vehicles and talk with their owners to enhance her creative process.

Fannin has had 3 solo exhibitions in Colorado, Florida, and Texas. She has shown in national galleries and museums throughout the United States including exhibitions through the National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society, International Guild of Realism, American Artists Professional League, and American Women Artists. In January 2022 she won First Place in the inaugural Bill Neale Automotive Fine Arts competition. In March 2021 she received Best of Show with the International Guild of Realism, and she became a finalist for the Art Renewal Center exhibition, which included more than 5000 entries from over 80 countries. In 2020 Shan was awarded Best Composition in the National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society Best of America. She has been published in Korean, Greek, British, Italian, Spanish, and American publications/blogs including Motortrend Korea, American Art Collector, and Fine Art Connoisseur Blog, Cars Yeah!, and Where Women Create. Fannin’s artworks are currently available through galleries in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

“I have been working with Dana for about 5 years. To me, she is a digital magician with crazy skills. My paintings are usually quite large (up to 6′ long) and I use a lot of colors to make my photorealistic vehicles believable. Dana tirelessly matches the colors I’ve used to reproduce high quality giclee prints. Thanks to Dana’s hard work, I can offer fine art prints that my collectors can appreciate and enjoy. Dana is a gem, and I appreciate her dedication and professionalism. I’m so thankful that I work with her, Luci, and the whole Miller Imaging & Digital Solutions team.”

Contact Shannon:
Instagram: @shanfannin
Facebook: Art by Shan Fannin
Website: shanfannin.com

See more of Shannon’s art on our website.

Contact our fine art specialist, Dana Burton, for more information on fine art scans and reproduction.

June 2022 Featured Artist: Jamie McCormick

Jamie Billman McCormick, the artist behind JBM Studio, is an avid people watcher and recreationalist based in beautiful Austin, TX. Jamie’s modern landscapes reflect life outside and often feature beloved local watering holes. She is passionate about preserving public lands and aims to make art that brings joy and connection through shared experiences. Jamie works primarily in acrylic, gouache, mixed media, and plant-based dyes.

“I’ve worked with Dana and Miller IDS for a number of years. She is always responsive and patient, no many how many times I have to ask her to adjust colors or send and re-send files. Dana is committed to capturing and reproducing a high quality images and I am grateful for her expertise.”

Contact Jamie:
Instagram: @jbm.studio
Website: jbm.studio

Contact our fine art specialist, Dana Burton, for more information on fine art scans and reproduction.

September 2021 Featured Graphics: Texas Tiny Pools

Texas Tiny Pools hosted their second annual tiny pool tour last weekend. Texas Tiny Pools was founded by our good friend Amy Hageman and her husband Tyler. They recognized the need for a pool in this crazy hot city we live in, and while not everyone needs or has space for a large pool, Amy and Tyler found a way to build a pool in the smallest of yards, so you can still take a dip to cool down.

Amy and Erin Rapp, Tiny Pools’ Chief of Communications + Research, came to us to help print their collateral for the event, and she came with plenty of ideas! Here’s a run through of what we produced:

We printed multi-page brochures with a staple binding that acted as a guide to the event as well as a tour passport. At each location they stamped the brochure, and at the end of the tour, if you went to every pool, you got a prize! The brochure featured details on the pools including building materials, add-on features, and a rough cost of the pool.

We also printed h-stake yard signs to point visitors in the right direction in the neighborhoods, as well as yard signs that detailed the specificities of each pool on-site.

Amy wanted a large frame for a Tiny Pool photo-op, which we printed on coroplast, and cut on our iEcho router. Lastly, we printed design boards on coroplast so that clients choices could be shown together.

The event was a great success and we were glad to be a part of it! We love Amy and her company and their ability to create dream pools in a size anyone can manage!

Texas Tiny Pools’ Website
Texas Tiny Pools’ Instagram: @texastinypools

For more information on graphics printing, please contact Sydney at CSSR@MillerIDS.com

July 2021 Artist of the Month: Ally Aiken

Ally Aiken is a watercolor artist & graphic designer. She went to the University of Texas and graduated in 2018 – she loved Austin so much that she decided to stay! Ally likes to paint & design all sorts of things but her most recent endeavor has revolved around golf.

One of Ally’s favorite paintings is the one that started it all! Her first golf course painting was the Royal Wellington Golf Club in New Zealand, which she painted for her boyfriend, Campbell, making it very special to her. Campbell lived in New Zealand for six months to work as a golf pro at the club. She said he is fond of his time in Wellington and wanted a way to commemorate it. He asked Ally if she could paint something related to the course that he could frame in his room, which started her whole business. Ally said she was overwhelmed with support when she posted a picture of the course she made for her boyfriend, and things really took off from there.

Another special course she has painted is of Ojai, California. Ally said she was at the post office during Christmas time, packaging prints to send to people as gifts, when a man saw her work and ordered a custom piece as an anniversary gift for his wife on the spot. There is a small oak tree painting on the course, symbolizing the spot they got married.

“I paint custom course maps of golf courses all over the world and make them into digital art prints, which is where Miller IDS has been a lifesaver! Working with Dana & the rest of the team at Miller has made my life stress free when it comes to getting beautiful prints of my work. I am so thankful for the work they do and am excited to continue to work together.”

Ally’s Etsy Shop: Ally Aiken Design
Ally’s Instagram: @allyaikendesign

Contact our fine art specialist, Dana Burton, for more information on fine art scans and reproduction.

April 2021 Featured Graphics

Indoor Decorative Adhesives

Featured Graphics: Plank Seafood Provisions

Plank Seafood Provisions (Flagship Restaurant Group) just came to Austin and is located in The Domain. FRG reached out to us after our first successful restaurant project with them, Anthem. Ryan, our graphics account manager, worked closely with FRG to bring their vision to life with another successful launch of their newest project, Plank.

We created a variety of interior and exterior decals for them including window adhesives, wall wraps, a ceiling mural, and heat-applied vinyl covers for their entryway floor tiles.

For the interior windows, we printed a chicken wire pattern onto a clear vinyl adhesive to give the illusion of chicken wire embedded in the glass, adding visual interest.

Ryan came up with a solution for a graphic detail in the entryway tile that is low commitment but still eye catching. Plank wanted to feature a design in their entryway but didn’t want to commit to a permanent tile design. Ryan printed small vinyl circles the size of the individual penny tiles, outlined the design of an anchor, and attached the vinyl covers over each individual tile, creating the anchor. The vinyl covers were heat-applied to the flooring to create a smooth, strong, and long-lasting bond.

We also printed and installed a custom fish mural, which Haylie also designed, on their outdoor patio, and large-scale removeable adhesives, one for a wall and one for the ceiling. The constellation ceiling mural was custom designed by Haylie Rousek with FRG and features the typical astrological constellations, accented with personalized designs. Haylie added in the shape of Texas, an anchor, a ship, a fish, and a whale, adding to the nautical theme of the restaurant. Haylie also designed a large ocean mural for one of their walls, that shows crashing white waves.

For more information on decorative adhesives please contact Ryan, at Ryan.Bruce@MillerIDS.com

To learn more about our different adhesive options and which is best for your project, click here!