Pat Millen’s oil paintings are a balm for the modern soul. With every tranquil, skillful stroke, her brush articulates a world filled with exquisite objects—each enchanting and charged with edifying purpose.
Throughout her life, Millen has expressed her creative impulses through gardening, choreographing gymnastic routines, crafts and quilting. However, she did not begin exploring her fascination with oil painting until becoming an empty nester six years ago.
Millen, a counselor at Cornerstone Counseling Ministries in Easton, is, by nature, a woman who strives for excellence in every facet of her life. So when she decided to work in this classical vein, she engaged modern master Frank Arcuri as an instructor (at his upper Bucks county studio). His formidable influence is clearly reflected in Millen’s skillfully rendered forms and adroit accretion of light and shadow.
Antiques, animals and the bountiful history of Eastern Pennsylvania fuel her imagination and sense of composition. Millen’s home also embodies this muse, replete with vintage pieces and adorable dogs. Her art often harmonizes with an antiquarian aesthetic and her canvases will delight those who share this passion.
For other pieces, she juxtaposes objects to convey a spiritual message. One such painting, entitled “Beauty for Brokenness,” draws its considerable inspiration from Isaiah 61:1-3. The painting depicts a graceful white Asiatic Lily thriving in a terra cotta vessel that was brutally shattered and now stands restored, once again useful.
In the economy of Millen’s art, nothing is superfluous. Her meticulously developed figures banish all material surplus. Only the essential remains. A closer examination reveals rich, sanguine surfaces. Perceptual discoveries flourish. The emotions are engaged and elevated by each image. Sublimity is the principle guiding each evolving canvas.
One of Millen’s works hangs in the hall of my home. In addition to its optical appeal, it never fails to sound a note of hope in my soul. Her art speaks softly. Once again, I am drawn to look and soak in the pleasures within this treasure.
Richard Timmons Gallery | 3795 Rte. 202 Doylestown | 3795gallery.com | tetelesticreations.com
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