(1912 - 2006)
A native of Gainesville, Georgia, 90 year old "R.A." still lives on the same property where he was born. He was employed mainly doing farm work and in cotton mills, and also became an ordained minister with the Free Will Baptist Church. He started to create art while in his late 60's, after experiencing problems with his eyesight. He is best known for his tin cutout figures and his whirligigs, but also does two dimensional work on wood and masonite using enamel and felt-tipped pens. His subjects include roosters, flags, angels, devils, Uncle Sam and the figure for which he is most recognized, "Blow Oskar". This latter title refers to his depictions, usually on tin cutouts, of his cousin Oskar, who used to blow his car horn when he drove by R.A.'s house. His paintings on wood or masonite often include dinosaurs, along with a religious message. R. A. Miller passed away on March 7, 2006.
Bibliography:
- Fine Folk: Art 'n' Facts From the Rural South (1990) Perryman/Smith
- Light of the Spirit - Portraits of Southern Outsider Artists (1998), Goekjian/Peacock
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