OIL/CANVAS 20 X 16 X 1.5 P.R. Miller haslong been a fixture in the Akron, Ohio art scene. He is, admittedly, eccentric and calls himself The Grizzled Wizard. And he is quite a character. Many years ago, he posed for our local art group for, I believe, three sessions...that was 2007. Recently, I unearthed this painting from my archives. While I still enjoyed the likeness, the pose and the painterly quality, I was highly disturbed by the background. Texture, texture, too much texture everywhere! So....taking brush to hand, I gave the background a new sparse look. While I am happy with the improvement, it is definitely not the way I would approach the subject at this moment in 2021.
And, yet.....I cannot help but think that this newer treatment is appropriate for P.R. Miller, the ultimate and foresightful recycler!
