Audio By Carbonatix
Phoenix is brimming with creativity. And every other year, we put the spotlight on 100 of the city’s creative forces. Leading up to the release of this year’s Best of Phoenix issue, we’re profiling 100 more. Welcome to the 2014 edition of 100 Creatives. Up today: 51. David Miller.
Whoever said, “Those who can’t do, teach,” never met David Miller.
While the Chandler-based photographer teaches adult photography, art classes, and workshops at the recreation departments of both the City of Chandler and the City of Tempe, Jerry’s Artarama in Tempe, and Art Intersection in Gilbert, in addition to teen art classes at Mesa Arts Center, the 37-year-old also has a slew of his own creative projects in the works.
See also: Tempe Performing Artist Julie Rada: 100 Creatives
Currently the creative is busy learning 3D model capture and plotting a new gallery exhibition that rethinks the traditional method of displaying photos on a wall and presents the works in more of an installation style.
“I’m also scanning various people’s skin and making custom viewmasters that are art pieces of their own,” Miller says, adding that he’s also making sculptural masks for winter art walks.
And his work doesn’t end there. He released an album of music with local model Lacheln, and together the duo is making music videos for some of the tracks. “Because I don’t have a lot of true video equipment I have to do these as time lapses with huge piles of xeroxes,” he says. “It’s a lot of fun, and a way to bring different parts of my creative output together.”
In August, Miller says he’ll set out on a mini-tour of Los Angeles, Portland, and Vancouver, California, to shoot around a dozen models for raw material that will be used in all his current projects, which you can keep tabs on via www.davidmillerphotoworks.com.
I came to Phoenix with my wife Vesna and dog Mulder.
I make art because it’s an uncontrollable compulsion to make stuff.
I’m most productive when the kids are in school!
My inspiration wall is full of things that make me happy — art from Australia, framed records, Dr. Zoidberg fanart…
I’ve learned most from podcasts like The Candid Frame and Brooks Jensen’s Lenswork.
Good work should always reflect who you are as a person, and be given opportunities to live and breathe outside of one’s hard drive or closet.
The Phoenix creative scene could use more community art events that aren’t based around buying, selling or partying. Stuff that is about neighborhood beautification and is open to regular folks.
See the 2014 edition of 100 Creatives:
100. Bill Dambrova
99. Niki Blaker
98. Jeff Slim
97. Beth May
96. Doug Bell
95. Daniel Langhans
94. Nanibaa Beck
93. Nicole Royse
92. Ib Andersen
91. Casandra Hernandez
90. Chris Reed
89. Shelby Maticic
88. Olivia Timmons
87. Courtney Price
86. Travis Mills
85. Catrina Kahler
84. Angel Castro
83. Cole Reed
82. Lisa Albinger
81. Larry Madrigal
80. Julieta Felix
79. Lauren Strohacker
78. Levi Christiansen
77. Thomas Porter
76. Carrie Leigh Hobson
75. Cody Carpenter
74. Jon Jenkins
73. Aurelie Flores
72. Michelle Ponce
71. Devin Fleenor
70. Noelle Martinez
69. Bucky Miller
68. Liliana Gomez
67. Jake Friedman
66. Clarita Lulić
65. Randy Murray
64. Mo Neuharth
63. Jeremy Hamman
62. La Muñeca
61. Kevin Goldman
60. Emily Costello
59. Kerstin Dale
58. Vara Ayanna
57. Nathaniel Lewis
56. Ruben Gonzales
55. Lisa Poje
54. Bobby Zokaites
53. Frances Smith Cohen
52. Julie Rada
