Growing up in a rural town, with freedom to roam open fields and deep woods has impacted what matters to artist Eleanor Miller. Her paintings express a passion and concern for nature, it’s power, beauty and fragility. Animals, birds, insects, ponds and meadows are part of her visual landscape. From the macro to the micro, she finds novelty in that which appears common. Walking in the rural neighborhood and in the woods of her home in Preston,CT is where she finds inspiration. It could be a rolling field, dramatic clouds, a grazing cow, wading bird or a bounty of botanicals that speak to Eleanor as a painter. “The things that interest me as painter reflect a part of the big picture in nature. All things large and small are connected and are in a symbiotic relationship. The result is work that addresses the spiritual potency of nature and celebrates the beauty and mystery of the precious world in which we live. “ Eleanor’s process is a two dimensional vocabulary that gives foundation for pause and reflection. It is an exploration to see what will evolve onto the canvas. IA blend of realism with loosely applied paint is a marrying of contrasting styles. There is a series of layering, color over color with palette knife to create luminosity and surface. From there images are introduced and she builds the picture. Each painting begins with a solid sketch but there is lots of room for spontaneity . It becomes a picture based on reality and imagination. Her creative process begins with a solid sketch but evolves through spontaneous exploration. Working with a two-dimensional vocabulary that invites pause and reflection, she blends realism with expressive, loosely applied paint. Using palette knives, she builds layers—color over color—to create luminosity and texture. Images emerge from this layered foundation, forming compositions that marry observation with imagination. The result is work grounded in reality yet elevated by a sense of wonder and reverence for the natural world.