Women To Know: Christine Miller

New York-based watercolor painter Christine Miller is committed to “exploring how anti-Black propaganda and stereotypes permeate American life” through her work, and her voice as a Black woman in the art world is needed now more than ever.

Miller, who holds a degree in Fine Art and Geography from Hunter College and a degree in Textile & Surface Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology, knows the significance of being a Black female artist, but doesn’t want that to be the sole driving force of how her work is received.

“I think at times there is an expectation to make certain work as a Black woman or to show up in a certain way,” she tells HelloBeautiful in an exclusive interview. 

“My work confronts some dark histories because that’s what I’m interested in. I appreciate when people give feedback that they feel the maternal and feminine energy with the work—but even then, my world of femininity can be completely different than someone else’s. I’ve come to accept to center my priorities with the work and whoever wants to engage in my world can engage and if they don’t, they don’t,” Miller says.

Miller admits she’s filled with conflicting emotions when asked about her experience navigating the art world as a Black woman. “It’s good and grueling at the same time. Good because I’ve been so pleasantly surprised in a number of different ways and also disappointed,” she says.

“It burns me when I’ve seen men and white people get [an] immense amount of praise even if they aren’t making good work. The level of delusion can be infuriating at times. It can be a lonely experience but when you find your tribe and community it’s so enriching beyond measure. It truly is an experience-by-experience case,” Miller adds.

Nevertheless, the artist has a clear vision for what she hopes art lovers take from her work. 

“I really want people to learn, question everything, have the desire to shake some s—t up in their lives and in this world, fight back and as a top priority, question the way the Black body is being used and shown in mass consumer culture.”