Category: Newsletter

April Featured Artist: Larry Stephenson

Posted on | by Madi

Larry has been drawing and painting as far back as he can recall. Larry obtained his Fine Art degree with studies from some of the most prolific professors of art across America with expanded studies in South America, Spain, and Portugal. “I studied under world-renowned artists that witnessed my gift and encouraged me and taught me ‘the placement of my soul on the canvas’.”

“As a Fine Artist my goal is to capture a moment in time or feeling in life which I can place on canvas that will reflect on our mind and imagination for generations to come. Composition, contrast, value, and color are the influences of my work. Transposing what I see to what one is really looking at is my goal that will last for generations. The intent of my work is to open the viewer’s mind to the depths of my soul. May my work be interesting, pleasing and thought-provoking. Painting is a creation for the eye and can only be hinted at with words.”

“Painting brings me so much joy and fulfillment when sharing what I see in the way that I place it from the pallet to the canvas, so all may enjoy my visions (which they may have seen) but never let their eyes capture that moment. Painting is music intended for the eye. My art is created primarily and solely for the imagination, aesthetic, and intellectual content that one’s soul may ponder and enjoy. I paint with a palette knife so I may pull and push the oils together in a manner that is indistinguishable yet gives the viewer the latitude to blend the work as they wish to see it.”

“This commission piece “At Peace on My Porch” of vast ranchland and hay fields near Marble Falls Texas only came to pass by Fine Art Collectors, masterful image scanning by Dana Barton, professional coordination by Larry Williams Junior and the patronage of Luci Miller to support not only my work, but the work of so many whose ambitions flourish under her compassionate eye for talent.”

Stephenson said this about working with Miller IDS over the past 25 years, “I have been working diligently to establish myself as an artist in the ‘FINE ARTS’. Miller is like family to me, Josh has always taken very good care of me, Dana is a pleasure to work with and very knowledgeable and extremely talented in her area of expertise. I just cannot say enough kind words regarding [Miller IDS Customer Service Representative] Larry Williams. He makes each and every visit I have to Miller very enjoyable, in fact I look forward to every visit I have with Miller because of his professionalism, sense of humor, and his unique personality which makes each and every visit a true pleasure.”

Contact Larry:
Email: les_sr@hotmail.com
LinkedIn: Larry Stephenson
Website: greendesignbuildinc.com

April Graphics Feature: Long Center Eclipse Party

Posted on | by Madi

In celebration of the total solar eclipse on April 8th, the Long Center and the Simons Foundation hosted a free total eclipse viewing party on the Long Center lawn and H-E-B Terrace.

The event featured entertainment centered around the total eclipse and provided opportunities for guests to engage with astronomers and celebrate with the community. There was music, food and drinks, and even a visual storytelling time. The first 1000 guests to arrive received eclipse tote bags and all guests received complimentary viewing glasses.

photo courtesy of Jordan Mathias (@_jordian.mathias)

We printed and installed large-scale window graphics featuring a total eclipse design on the windows of the Long Center. We also printed and cut foamboard icons that were attached to a giant frame for participants to have a photo-op as well as other signage like bar menus and safety signs.

Thank you to the Long Center for allowing us to part of this amazing event!

Click here to see a video of the eclipse window graphics.

If you would like to get started on a project with our graphics team, reach out to  CSSR7@MillerIDS.com or CSSR2@MillerIDS.com.

March Graphics Feature: Urban Spaces

Posted on | by Madi


March was incredibly busy in our graphics department. Just to spotlight what ONE company did with us here are shots from Urban Space projects. We do both big and small for these folks and truly appreciate how they have so positively impacted Austin, the skyline, and been a driver of density in the downtown area specifically. Take a peak!

March Artist of the Month: Terri Gray

Posted on | by Madi

Terri Gray earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art Education from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL. Terri put herself through college working as a graphic artist and continued in the field after graduating. During this time, she enjoyed learning and developing new mediums and artistic techniques. She has spent the last 40 years as a working artist and teacher. Terri’s artwork is strongly influenced by her background as a graphic artist. Her work features shapes, imagery, and textures from nature. She playfully interprets the animal and natural world to create her mixed media paintings and ceramic pieces.

Terri works, teaches and shows her work at Austin Pottery Studio and Gallery. Currently her work is being shown in a national exhibit at Charlie Cummings Gallery in Florida. In 2023, Terri was invited to show her work at the George Washington Carver Museum in Austin, Texas, and has been a featured artist for the Clay Collective of Austin and the Texas Clay Arts Association.

“Hi, my name is Terri Gray. As a local artist looking to create digital images of my mixed media paintings, I need a reliable and affordable company that can scan and print my work. After discussing the topic with the local artist community, there was one recommendation that kept coming up. Miller IDS. Dana at Miller listened to my needs and delivered to my specifications with a friendly and professional artist viewpoint. When I needed a couple of things to be expedited, Dana was able to accommodate. I really appreciated Dana’s input and expertise. I will be using Miller IDS for my future projects, and highly recommend Miller IDS to others looking for high quality printing and scanning.” 

Contact Terri:
Instagram: @terrigray4439

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

February Artist of the Month: Camille Woods

Posted on | by Madi

Camille Woods is an artist based in Johnson City, TN and Austin, TX and is passionate about expressing the beauty and fragility of life through her paintings. With her use of bright colors and bold strokes, Camille seeks to create a connection between the painting and the viewer.

She works mainly in portraiture and landscapes, telling stories of both internal and external struggles. Through the use of color and composition, Camille channels the underlying strength of our individual and collective ability to not only survive, but to thrive in the face of adversity. Through her work, Camille creates a physical representation of the emotional connection we all have to our individual landscapes, ourselves, and each other, engaging the viewer with a strong visual story.
 
“Dana is by far one of the best in her field. She consistently provides an amazing service. Her eye for color matching is one of a kind. The color and texture of each print of my artwork looks exactly like the original paintings. I feel so good being able to give my art buyers such a high-quality print. My interactions with Dana have always been pleasant. She’s responsive and super helpful and just a really kind human.”

Contact Camille:
Instagram: @camillewoodsart
Website: camillewoodsart.com

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

February Featured Graphics: Greeting Cards – Wild Vine Creative

Posted on | by Madi

We print cards! Greeting cards, thank you cards, holiday cards, postcards- you name it! If you need cards printed for any occasion, we are your printer!

One customer who prints cards with us is Sarah Acevedo with Wild Vine Creative. Wild Vine Creative is an Austin-based shop that celebrates the beauty in the natural world through food and plant-inspired illustrations. The studio started in 2019 and its mission is to bring joy and inspire growth with cards, stickers, and art prints. Sarah had us print greeting cards that have her designs on the front with her logo on the back, and a blank interior.

If you would like to print cards with us, our graphics team is here to help guide you on paper choices and finishing options such as folding. We can also do mail merging if you order postcards and need addresses added for printing!

Contact Wild Vine Creative:
Website & Shop: wildvinecreative.com
Instagram: @wildvinecreative

If you would like to get started on a project with our graphics team, reach out to Elesha at CSSR7@MillerIDS.com.

January Featured Graphics: Chesmar Homes Frosted Vinyl

Posted on | by Madi

Chesmar Homes reached out to us for a solution for their new office space. They wanted to create privacy for the conference room and offices but also increase visibility of the glass walls.

To achieve this we printed frosted vinyl stripes for the larger walls and doors, as well as solid frosted panels for lower window panels. In addition, we printed frosted glass logos for Chesmar Homes’ local partners, CLM Mortgage and N Title, to add to the door to their office.

More and more companies are using glass partitions to create separate rooms without blocking light and visibility. This gives the feeling of one communal space, but allows individuals their own space and privacy for meetings, phone calls, etc. 
 
As the use of glass walls has increased, so have the requests for vinyl applications by our team. We want to help with your space if you also have a need for improved visibility of glass walls. Many customers add their logo, mission statement, company motto, or decorative designs to their partitions to add visual interest and to personalize the wall or door.

Chesmar Homes Website

If you would like to get started on a project with our graphics team, reach out to a team member at CSSR@MillerIDS.com or CSSR@@MillerIDS.com or CSSR7@MillerIDS.com.

January Artist of the Month: Meena Matai

Posted on | by Madi
Meena Matai creates vivid and lively abstract art with detailed designs that showcase a balance between spontaneity and introspection. Art has remained a constant throughout her life growing up in India and now, as an artist, engineer, mother, educator, and community organizer. She strives to find balance in her many roles while living and working out of Austin for more than a decade. Meena has been featured in many arts media programs and press. Her vibrant paintings are part of corporate and private collections, both in the country and internationally.
Statement:

In the midst of a world marred by pandemic, conflicts, and widespread suffering, a call resonates, urging us to return home – to our core, our roots – in search of stability. As an immigrant, Meena recognizes that the true definition of home can evolve from an external concept to an internal one. From this introspective space, Meena’s art finds its birth through play and experimentation, as she delves into the experience of creation emanating from the place she calls home – her being.Meena’s art explores the complexities of identity and the fluidity of boundaries between seemingly opposing concepts. As an Indian-American artist and engineer, and a working mother, she intimately understands the constant balancing act of navigating different cultures and roles. Her work depicts the delicate balance between feeling foreign and at home, between nurturing others and self care, between practicality and imagination, between spontaneity and planning, and between action and reflection. Through her art, Meena seeks to capture the richness and complexity of the balancing art and feels fortunate to be able to explore these themes in her own life.

Meena invites viewers to engage with her art with an open mind and a boundless imagination, while being grounded in the origin stories and rich history that inform her work. She hopes that her art sparks a sense of recognition of our shared humanity despite our differences. Her ultimate goal is to inspire positivity, collaboration, and support, starting with the self and extending beyond.

Contact Meena:
Instagram: @meenamataiart
Facebook: @MeenaMataiArt
Website: meenamatai.com

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

December Artist of the Month: Caitlin Brasel

Posted on | by Madi
Born with an innate passion for the arts, Caitlin Brasel’s journey through the realms of creativity has been both transformative and impactful. As the visionary behind Brasel BeDazzled, San Angelo’s premier mobile paint party business, Caitlin has seamlessly merged her love for art with the heartbeat of her community.
 
Drawing since she could remember, Caitlin’s artistic evolution over the years is both captivating and inspiring. Her ventures into the art business began merely two years ago, an undertaking fueled by newfound confidence and a desire to share her creations. Her dedication and talent have not only resulted in captivating artworks such as Embrace Existentialism, but also in fostering a space centered on fun, community, and creative expression.
 
Brasel BeDazzled is not just a business for Caitlin; it’s a movement. By working closely with San Angelo’s community, Caitlin has epitomized the symbiotic relationship between art and community engagement. Over the past half-year, this realization has been underscored, giving her deeper insights into the essence of communal collaboration.
 
Philanthropy forms a core part of Caitlin’s ethos. Her support of esteemed non-profits, such as the Hands of Mercy Cat Sanctuary, Open Arms, and even the Mechanical Engineering group of Angelo State University through Brasel BeDazzled bears testimony to her commitment towards making a positive difference.
 
Caitlin discovered Miller IDS through her supportive Austinite Uncle, which led her to discover the brilliance of Dana, who meticulously brought Caitlin’s art to life in print form on watercolor paper! This collaboration further solidified Caitlin’s footprint in the artistic arena. Caitlin has been a huge fan of Miller IDS ever since!
 
Although the demands of Brasel BeDazzled have momentarily shifted her focus from fine arts, the embers of her artistic passion continue to glow. As she finds her rhythm in her business, Caitlin is gradually rekindling her artistic pursuits, reminding the world of the fine artist that lies within her.
 
For all budding artists, Caitlin’s message is simple yet profound: “Get out there! The world awaits your art, and there’s a community that will embrace you with open arms.”Contact Caitlin:
Facebook: Brasel BeDazzled 

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

November Artist of the Month: Lori Sonnier

Posted on | by Madi

Lori Sonnier creates colorful paintings inspired by the beauty and vibrant colors of the natural environment. She has a background in biology and worked for a decade in environmental management. But she was always interested in art and began taking art classes at night through UCLA Extension while working full-time.

In 2006, her family moved to Austin when her husband was hired as a faculty member at UT. “We really like Texas and were so excited to move to Austin”. Shortly after arriving, Lori began taking painting classes through The Art School at The Contemporary Austin (Laguna Gloria). She also did painting workshops in Santa Fe, New Mexico with Albert Handell and Lee Rommel and began painting both indoors and outdoors. “I hope that my paintings bring joy to people, and that they help people appreciate the beauty that is around us in the world”.
  
Lori came to Miller IDS in 2022 to find a local business partner in creating fine art prints and notecards. “It has been great working with Dana Burton at Miller on my prints. They have turned out very well and I am happy to say they are made locally here in Austin. Dana has a great eye for color and detail, and the staff at Miller have been a pleasure to work with.”
 
Read the rest of Lori’s feature on our website.

Contact Lori:
Instagram: @lorisonnier.art
Website: lorisonnier.com
Email: lorisonnier.art@gmail.com

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