ABOUT CJ
Christopher J. Miller
So, you want to know more about me? What makes me tick and all that?
It’s been a journey, let me tell you. Almost fifty years ago, just before I entered my teens, I had a very traumatizing experience with a Carnegie Mellon art teacher and was shamed in front of a thousand peers. (And when I say, 1,000, I am not exaggerating.) The result? I walked away from my artistic gifts. In my late teens, when I realized that I was gay, I walked away from the Catholic Church and my faith in God. Always a loving person, I found their rejection unacceptable.
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It wasn’t until many, many years later that I healed from those two experiences and returned to making art and believing in a Greater Power. It was through the creative act that I rediscovered myself and my meaning. I published a book called, “The Spiritual Artist” to remind myself how to reconnect to Spirit through practice. My journey reaffirmed my connection to others and my desire to help them find their inner calling. I would call it my Greater Purpose.
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I love to make art and I continue to discover new aspects of my unique Creative DNA. When I create, I most fully align with Spirit. I invite you to read the book, listen to my podcast, and remember your inner Spiritual Artist. While we celebrate our differences of heritage, ethnicity, sexual orientation, family, and culture in our physical manifestation we also can recognize that we are one in Spirit. Honor your individuality but celebrate your spiritual connection. And remember, you are a Spiritual Artist.
Career
1997-2022
Rainmaker Advertising
Founder of Rainmaker Advertising, Inc. in Dallas, Texas. This 24-year-old business provided marketing and communications services to various for-profit and not-for-profit companies in the non-profit, arts, event planning, trade show, entrepreneurial, and service industries. Companies include the American Heart Association, the Professional Retail Store Maintenance Association, the PVC Pipe Association, WaterTower Theatre, the Southwestern Veterinary Symposium, the Town of Addison and many more.
2017-2021
Urban Artist Market
Producer and founder of the Urban Artist Market, a twice-yearly artisan show held in Addison, Texas. The Urban Artist Market combines a fundraising VIP reception with an upscale art show floor experience to create a win-win environment for the artisan and local organizations. The mission of the market was to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the art marketplace.
2002-Present
ARTIST
Christopher John Miller first entered the Dallas art scene with his 2002 show, "Flora & Fauna: Digital Impressions."
Inspired by the disappearance of stars, his 2009 show "Starry Nights" reflected his transition into expressionism and his exploration of acrylics with other mediums.
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"Silence Between the Sounds" was featured at the 2011 WaterTower Theatre Out of the Loop Fringe Festival.
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In 2013, his show titled "Square One" was featured at the Visit Addison Center and Gallery in Addison, Texas. At the same time, several CJMiller paintings were selected by The Small Gallery as part of their "Works on Paper" exhibit.
In 2015, his series titled "Resonate" was featured at the WaterTower Theatre.
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In 2018, he founded the Urban Artist Market, which features more than 72 diverse art artists bi-annually in Addison, Texas.
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In 2019, CJMiller's solo show, "Defining Edges," was featured at the Charles W. Eisemann Center for the month of October.
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In 2020, CJMiller's show "Celebrate Color" was featured at the Roberta Masciarelli Gallery in Addison, Texas.
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In April 2023, three works by CJMiller were selected for the Daum Gallery Opening.
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In September 2024, CJMiller presented his solo show, "Emotional RollerCoaster" at the Charles W. Eisemann Center.
Select works have been included in the Visual Arts Guide of Frisco, the Texas Visual Arts Association, and the Bathhouse Cultural Center in Dallas.
CJ served as a judge for the Art League of Lewisville show titled "Deconstructed." He was also one of several jurors for the Cottonwood Arts Festival Spring 2024.
2021-2023
AUTHOR
PODCASTER
Christopher Miller authored and published his first book, “The Spiritual Artist,” in November 2021 and produces “The Spiritual Artist Podcast” on Spotify, Google Podcast, and Apple Podcast. The podcast shares stories of enlightenment by interviewing today's spiritual artists and thought leaders with his The Spiritual Artist Podcast.
2021-2023
SPEAKER
Past Speaking and Workshop Engagements:
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Art Gallery Pure
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Artisan Santa Fe
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Creative Arts Center Workshop
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Grapevine Art Project
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Legacy Midtown Park Senior Community
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Makers Connect Gallery
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McKinney Creative Community
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Rockwall Arts League
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Texas Jewish Arts Association
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Unity Tustin California SpiritGroup
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Visual Arts Guild of Frisco
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Visual Arts League of Lewisville
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Wellness Expo Grapevine
1987
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration in Journalism
University of Delaware, 1987