State Sen. Tom Harman selected Laguna Beach artist Douglas Miller’s “Keyhole Arch” for inclusion in the State Senate’s ninth annual California contemporary art collection exhibit, his office announced this past Tuesday.
Harman, a Republican of Huntington Beach, recently presented Miller with a resolution acknowledging this accomplishment.
The exhibit was initiated to recognize contemporary California art. Each senator selects an artist from their district to exhibit in the State Capitol’s Maddy Lounge and Coffee Shop for 18 months.
“Coastal Orange County is home to many great artists. It was not an easy choice, but in the end Mr. Miller’s submission won the day,” said Harman. “I felt it best represented the 35th Senate District.”
Miller, a local resident since 1971 and a 40-year painter, began painting with acrylic paints on small canvases in 1993 and has painted more than 12,000 works since. He fell in love with Laguna in the 1950s during family visits to a great aunt, Anne Robinson, a pioneer plein-aire painter of Trabuco Canyon, where she was born, as well as the Laguna coast where she had a home.
Since his earliest days, Miller has also taken still photographs, recording Laguna’s historic scenes, people and events. Many of them become studies for art subjects.
He has not missed a day of painting in his impressionist-realist style in more than 17 years, averaging two to four paintings per day from a small home studio or at the Sawdust Festival, where he also exhibits.
More recently, Miller embarked on a second career, recording a CD with pop vocalist Sasha Evans.
Hurray for Dougie!