Creator Record
Metadata
Name |
R. A. Miller |
Other names |
Reuben Aaron Miller |
Dates & places of birth and death |
b. July 22, 1912 - Rabbittown, Georgia d. March 7, 2006 |
Nationality |
American |
Occupation |
Reuben Aaron "R. A." Miller (1912 - 2006) was an American self-taught, folk, and outsider artist from North Georgia. He was perhaps most well-known from the 1970s through the 1990s. Miller first gained local attention with his outdoor display of whirligigs and painted tin artworks on the landscape of his family property. He was known for his animal, devil, pop culture, and "Blow Oskar" motifs. Miller's creations were often composed of found materials including paint, magic marker, bicycle parts, and scrap metals. One of the reasons Miller's decorated landscape became well-known is because it was featured as the setting of the videos "Left of Reckoning" and "Pretty Persuasion" by the rock band R.E.M. |
Notes |
R.E.M. "Left of Reckoning" short film: you can see R.A.'s outdoor whirligigs beginning at the 50 second time stamp. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNbgNdv3RRE) R.E.M. "Pretty Persuasion" music video: R.A.'s outdoor whirligigs serve as the music video backdrop. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6mDZqIMNrU) |
Places of residence |
Rabbittown, Georgia Northern Georgia |
Role |
Artist |
Education |
self-taught |
Related Records
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2018.021.050 - Artwork
This painted metal artwork by R. A. Miller depicts musician and pop culture icon Elvis Presley. Elvis has black hair and a matching sideburn. He is wearing a gold band around his head that reads "Elvis" in black. He is facing toward the left and has white skin, a blue eye, and a red mouth. His shirt is yellow with dark red border hems. "Love" appears on the shirt in red and gold paint dozens of times. His pants are a light blue and his shoes are ...
Record Type: Object
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2018.021.051 - Artwork
This painted metal artwork by R. A. Miller depicts one of Miller's most famous character motifs: "Blow Oskar." Blow Oskar is painted white and has a hat or headpiece shaped above his head. He is facing toward the left. The hat reads "BLOW OSKAR" in black paint. A simple black line separates the hat from the face, and his face is minimally detailed with simple lines and curves that depict an eye, a mouth, and an ear. His shirt is blue with white s...
Record Type: Object
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2018.021.052 - Artwork
This painted metal artwork by R. A. Miller depicts one of Miller's most famous character motifs, a devil. This devil is painted red and has two horns protruding from his head. He is facing toward the right. A simple black line separates the horns from the face, and the face is minimally detailed with simple lines and curves that depict an eye, a mouth, and an ear. The devil's shirt and pants match its red skin, but black lines outline the clothin...
Record Type: Object
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2018.021.053 - Artwork
This painted metal artwork by R. A. Miller depicts one of Miller's most famous character motifs, a devil. This devil is painted red and has two horns protruding from his head. He is facing toward the right. A simple black line separates the horns from the face, and the face is minimally detailed with simple lines and curves that depict an eye, a mouth, and an ear. The devil's shirt and pants match its red skin, but black lines outline the clothin...
Record Type: Object
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2018.021.054 - Artwork
"God Loves You Be My Valentine" is a multi-dimensional painted sculpture by R. A. Miller. The sculpture features two thin, painted metal elements that are positioned upright/vertically within a painted and decorated rectangular wooden base. The metal fixture on the left side is a painted angel, which was a common motif of Miller's. This angel is facing forward. It began with a white painted base which is visible on the face. Minimal black desi...
Record Type: Object
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2018.021.055 - Artwork
This painted metal artwork by R. A. Miller depicts one of Miller's most famous character motifs: angels. This angel is facing forward. It began with a white painted base which is visible on the face. Minimal black designs compose the angel's hair, eyes, and mouth. Two red, pointed wings protrude from the angel's shoulders. The angel's torso is painted pink-red and the angel's lower half is painted yellow. "RAMILLER" is written in gold on the bac...
Record Type: Object
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2018.021.056 - Artwork
This painted metal artwork by R. A. Miller depicts one of Miller's most famous character motifs: angels. This angel is facing forward. It began with a white painted base which is visible on the face. Minimal black designs compose the angel's hair, eyes, and mouth. Two green, pointed wings protrude from the angel's shoulders. The angel's torso matches the green wings and features a painted red vest-like detail on top of the green base. The angel's...
Record Type: Object
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2018.021.057 - Artwork
This painted metal artwork by R. A. Miller depicts one of Miller's most famous character motifs: angels. This angel is facing the viewer's right. The angel began with a white painted base which is visible on the face. Minimal black designs compose the angel's hair and facial details. One large, blue, angular wing protrudes from the angel's back. The angel's right arm is pointed upward, away from its body. The angel's torso is painted yellow, ...
Record Type: Object
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2018.021.058 - Artwork
This painted metal artwork by R. A. Miller depicts one of Miller's most famous character motifs: angels. This angel is facing forward. The angel began with a white painted base which is visible on the face. Minimal black designs compose the angel's hair, eyes, and mouth. Two brown, pointed wings protrude from the angel's shoulders. The angel's torso matches the brown wings and features a painted red vest-like detail on top of the brown base. The ...
Record Type: Object
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2018.021.059 - Artwork
This painted metal artwork by R. A. Miller depicts one of Miller's most famous character motifs: angels. This angel is facing the viewer's left. The angel began with a white painted base which is visible on the face. Minimal black designs compose the angel's hair and facial details. One large, pink, angular wing protrudes from the angel's back. The angel's left arm is pointed upward, away from its body. The angel's torso is painted yellow, an...
Record Type: Object
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2018.021.060 - Artwork
This painted metal artwork by R. A. Miller depicts one of Miller's most famous character motifs: angels. This angel is facing forward. The angel began with a white painted base which is visible on the face. Minimal black designs compose the angel's hair, eyes, and mouth. Two pink, pointed wings protrude from the angel's shoulders. The angel's torso matches the pink wings and features a painted green vest-like detail on top of the pink base. The a...
Record Type: Object
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2018.021.061 - Artwork
This painted metal artwork by R. A. Miller depicts one of Miller's most famous character motifs: angels. This angel is facing forward. The angel began with a white painted base which is visible on the face. Minimal black designs compose the angel's hair, eyes, and mouth. Two red, pointed wings protrude from the angel's shoulders. The angel's torso matches the red wings and features a painted blue vest-like detail on top of the red base. The angel...
Record Type: Object
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2025.005.060 - Artwork
This painted metal artwork by R. A. Miller depicts an abstracted frog with dark green skin and pale yellow polka dots along its body and tail. The frog has one red eye, red lips, and the tips of its feet are painted red. Miller's signature is written in white ink on the backside of the frog along the stomach area.
Record Type: Object
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2025.005.061 - Artwork
This painted metal artwork by R. A. Miller depicts an abstracted lizard with dark green skin and pale yellow polka dots along its body and tail. The lizard has one red eye, red lips, and a red tip painted on its feet. This piece was signed by Miller in black ink along the stomach area.
Record Type: Object
