Self-Taught Artist Antonio Miller Pours Raw Love onto the Canvas

Antonio, a.k.a. Tone Miller is a self-taught artist from East Orange, New Jersey, whose work includes creating album covers for emerging musicians. A member of the underground contemporary art scene, Miller cites Andy Warhol as an inspiration for his acrylic photo-manipulations. Although he’s in the early stages of his career, Miller’s devotion to the creative process is evident from the intensity with which he describes his work.

My work is unconventional in method as well as the end result. I consider these pieces a byproduct of what I call the underground contemporary, of the times yet unfamiliar all at once. Each work represents the counterculture, subject matter influenced by what influences, think a scene from your father’s favorite movie. The end result of my technique is all emotion. I represent the class of artist with no technical education or skill just raw love poured onto a canvas that is translated through every stroke of paint I apply.

Miller’s altered images are drawn from personal memories, street photographs, films, sports, the contemporary music scene, and other elements of pop culture. Translating Warhol’s Polaroid techniques into a 2021 aesthetic that reflects the world around him, Miller manipulates photographs with acrylic paint and creates runs of prints. He describes the process as a form of ‘alchemy.’ His layered multi-media images are inspired by actors, athletes, political protestors, and characters from video games and anime. His goal is to create larger projects that incorporate sculpture and screen-printing.

A newcomer to the world of fine art, Miller has experienced the usual growing pains of someone navigating unfamiliar streets. As he releases his creative work into the world, he sees himself as a “diamond in the rough,” waiting for the right opportunity to come along. By mixing elements of contemporary culture with moments from personal experience, Miller hopes to share the emotions he feels during the process of creating with the viewer. His willingness to delve underground and pour raw feelings onto the page, suggests he’s well on his way to finding his own path.

Table of Contents

• Artist Statement
• Grant Submission Works
• Artist Bio
• Antonio on the Web And Social Media

Antonio Miller — Artist Statement

An image from childhood, stills from a moment in time, the energy from these scenes allow me to transmute them into a canvas. Every brush stroke is born from the emotions the canvas evokes in me. These strokes manipulate the canvas into a new subject entirely. I do this with the hopes that the end result will evoke those same emotions i felt to the viewer. I consider these each of these works to be products of my personal form of alchemy, children of the genre of Art I represent, the underground contemporary.

Antonio Miller – Grant Submission Works

Antonio Miller – Artist Bio

Tone Miller (28) is a self taught Artist based born and based in East Orange, NewJersey. Influenced by the pop culture work of Andy Warhol, I begin working with acrylic paint as the main tool for my photo manipulation based portraits. Since entering the field of contemporary just two years ago, my current professional work consists of commissioned album covers for emerging musicians

Antonio Miller on the Web And Social Media

Here is where to find out more about Antonio Miller on the web and social media:

• Antonio on Instagram

About the Artist of the Day Series

All artworks have been published with permission of the artist. Our "Artist of the Day" series is a regular feature highlighting artworks from the 100's of grant applications we receive. The "Not Real Art Grant" is an annual award designed to empower the careers of contemporary artists, and this is one way we honor all entries we receive. Find out more about the grant program here.