Vel Miller

Art Brokerage: Vel Miller American Artist: Vel attended the Art League of Los Angeles studying under Hal Reed and Max Turner. She later taught there. An important mentor was Joe De Yong, a protege' of Charlie Russell, encouraged and inspired her with his stories and love of the Old West. Participating in numerous exhibitions, Vel has earned over 40 "Firsts", "Best of Show", and "Purchase Awards". She has completed several corporate commissions. Her work is displayed in museums and public and private collections internationally. She and her artwork have been featured in "Contemporary Western Artists", several editions of "Southwest Art", and "Art of the West" magazines. She is currently listed in "Who's Who in the West" and "Who's Who in American Women", and "An Encyclopedia of Women Artists of the 1997, American West". Vel was commissioned to do the drawings on Western Horsemen's Cowboy Calendars for 1997, 98, 99, and 2000 and has recently illustrated and created covers for several books. Vel was in a show in Sorrento, Italy in September 2000 with The American Women Artist, a group of which she is a founding member. The mayor of Sorrento purchased one of her paintings. Vel was commissioned to do a heroic size monument for the city of Paso Robles, Ca. The eight footy high sculpture of a fireman handing a child to a policewoman titled "Reward for Valor" was dedicated along with the block square complex it stands in front of in January 2005. Vel has also completed a private commission of a sculpture of Ronald Reagan horseback in the 1965 Pioneer Parade in Pao Robles, Ca. He was then running for Governor of California. The sculpture is 20 inches high. Vel has a limited edition to be sold of the same sculpture but with the horse standing on a base with the relief of California under his feet and some of President Reagan's quotes around the base. It is titled OUR AMERICAN LEGACY. It is featured at the Young American's Ronald Reagan Ranch Museum in Santa Barbara, Ca. Also featured there is Vel's bronze sculpture of Old Duke, Ronald Reagan's first Longhorn steer.