Meet Michelle Miller | Sculptural jewellery Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Michelle Miller and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Michelle, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
I have been an artist for over 30 years. At the beginning, I worked a lot! I had an expensive studio to upkeep and the materials I was using then were also expensive. I felt like I was basically working to keep working. At this time, I was a glass blower and I had small business with a good friend of mine. I did not have a family and could not forsee affording the time to have any children. Some major life changes happened, my mother died and soon after my partner’s husband died. Soon I was on my own with my glass business and seemed too much. Many questions emerged? Did I want to continue staying in glass or perhaps should I explore jewellery. I had been making jewellery and selling it out of our showroom for years and it was quite popular and not nearly as hard on my body. Did I really not want to have children? How could I maintain the studio and have kids? Is there more to life?
As fate would have it, I got pregnant with twins and that dictated everything from that time on.
I would quit glass and set up a jewellery studio at home. Still the life/work balance was tricky. My husband commuted to work and was gone from 7-7. So, there wasn’t a lot of time to work. As the girls got older and went ot school, I would have my days for work. It was better but still I found it difficult to really get a lot of work together.
Now the girls are older and no longer in public school. I feel like I am just beginning to truly find myself as an artist. It seems that January through to March is my time to explore new ideas, new materials, stretch myself. Then start creating work for shows. I have worked really hard at “having a life”, beacuse I love living and of course my life, fuels my art. So, I make it part of my “work” to go into a big city and see art. Travel to new places even if its just a few towns over. Hike new trails. Follow new paths. This has truly helped me find balance. When you realize that you create from what inspires you, you learn to keep yourself inspired and that means take time for yourself so you have the time and the freedom to see, feel, hear and taste. When I feel inspired in my life, I am inspired in my work. It has taken me a long time but I am getting there.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a jewellery artist that is self taught. My work is a mix of collage, sculpture and design. I graduated with a BA in Theater Arts at University of Guelph and then went on to study glass at Sheridan College. I worked as a glassblower for 10 years. I also worked as head designer a silk scarf company for many years. My interests are fairly eclectic. All these past endeavours have formed the artist I am today. What sets my work apart is a few things. Firstly, I am not a metal smith. The materials I use are not ordinary jewellery materials. I use shock cord, different fabrics, snaps, silicone, wire, electrical materials, etc. I am always sourcing new materials to use. I like to use ordinary materials and elevate them to uncommon grounds. I am influenced by the natural and the manufactured world around me. Whether its hydro poles and electrical lines or a fairy ring of mushrooms that I found on a hike. I see beauty everywhere. My work is a commentary of the many things I observe and feel. My aim is connection. My work is my conduit to the community around me. I would say I have always followed my heart and my intuition. It hasn’t always been easy and I would say it still isn’t easy. But I continue to follow what lights me and keep pushing my boundaries. I don’t follow trends but I do have an innate sense of style, an affinity for colour and a love of design. I am persisant that’s how I overcome challenges. The best thing for me to do when I feel stuck is just start making anything or be creative doing something completely different. Cooking and interior design help me when I feel like I need a break with jewellery. Giving myself space and time is crucial. My health and well being are all really important to me.
I have a love of innovation of trying new materials and exploring new ways to put things together. My work is constantly evolving and I am never sure where it might go next. That’s the exciting and the scary part that keeps me going. It seems that possibilities are endless. It keeps my fuel burning.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
First of all, they would stay in our beautiful 1 bedroom airbnb apartment. Then I would book an amazing food tour with Lynn Broughton of Taste Detours. She would guide us around our lovely citie’s downtown core and introduce us to some excellent restaurants and we would get amazing inside scoop on the establishments. Then we would go to a beautifully renovated mill, that houses a distillery. We would have a delicious cocktails and sit by the fire and perhaps play a game. Over the week we would explore the gorgeous trails along our beautiful rivers. I would take them to our Contemporay Art Gallery and stroll through the sculpture garden. We would wander around downtown and check out our unique independent stores. Hang out in our awesome book store, then go for some great coffee at our local fairtrade coffee roasters. Definitely check out our excellent bakeries too. So, lots of great food, good drinks, great art, interesting shopping and wonderful hiking! If it was not Covid and they happen to come during one of our internationally renown festivals, like our Contemporary Dance Festival, Guelph Dance, our excellent Jazz Festival, the amazing Hillside Festival our super intersting Kazoo Festival or our Film Festival all super worthy of an excllent time. Much fun is to be had in Guelph, Ontario Canada!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people and experiences that have helped me become the artist I am today. All my teachers in the Craft and Design Program at Sheridan College. Daniel Crichton, Sheila Mahut, Jeff Goodman, Brad Copping, Susan Rankin, Kevin Lockau, Gernot Dick. The artists in my family have all been highly influentiual: Suzanne Miller, David Miller, Marcus Miller, Mindy Yan Miller, Alan Paivio, Petra Mala Miller and Robin Stelling. So many of my friends and collegues. And last but not least my very wise, funny and creative husband Tim Middleton. Working on the board of Directors for Guelph Dance for 10 years also helped to support my life as an artist.

Website: mimijewellery.com

Instagram: Michelle Miller . mimijewellery

Facebook: Michelle Miller Jewellery

Image Credits
Shannon Laliberte at Foundher productions, artfulcitystyle with ny_photobychris