Diana Miller’s latest body of work examines the constructed identities we present to the world, and the inner lives they conceal or safeguard; an invitation to embrace who we truly are within.

These paintings and collages focus on the paradoxical nature of what we choose to reveal or keep hidden. The protective shields and roles we adopt to feel safe, loved, and accepted are expressed through carefully constructed surface layers that either partially or fully hide the compositions beneath. The foreground of each painting acts as a visual barrier, hinting at the authentic self that lies just beneath—a visual push-pull between surface and background, between
display and concealment.

Miller’s process of layering is central, both conceptually and materially. In some of the works, the underlying image remains visible. In others, it is softened through glazing or almost entirely concealed beneath dense surface layers. This process mirrors the ways we construct our own facades throughout life, consciously or not. The foregrounding shapes consist of compositions the artist has created, evolved, and revisited—a visual lexicon developed over time through an elaborate,
multifaceted shape-making practice. Like much of her past work, these paintings carry a distinct graphic sensibility, influenced by her background in graphic design and a discernment for distilling form.