Name: Cari Miller

Most Frequent Media: Acrylic and watercolor paint

Education: A degree in communications from The University of Akron (summa cum laude) and post-baccalaureate studies at the Mary Schiller School of Arts (4.0). My career evolved from reporter to artist and photographer. My passions have always been writing, art and photography and I am grateful that I have been able to work in creative fields for almost my whole career.

Artistic Influences: For painting: Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso and Henry Matisse. Picasso especially is an inspiration for all the media he mastered, his wide variety of styles, and the incredible longevity of his career. I have always been inspired by the way they use color emotionally and not realistically. And I outline pretty much everything like Van Gogh. For photography: Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Weston and Paul Strand for their dramatic black and white photography.

When I Started Drawing: Ever since I can remember

What Inspires Me: Previously my work was unique but straight-forward. For the last several years it has become deeply personal and an expression of my feelings related to current events as well as my inner turmoil.

Personal: A lifelong resident of Northeast Ohio, I currently live in Akron with my family