A river is the convergence of three forces—water, gravity and topography—each inseparable from the others. It is a living system in motion, existing and being shaped at the same time. Montana-based artist Ben Miller returns to this shifting relationship again and again, as much a subject to be captured as a presence to remain in relation with.

 

A fly rod is a system of tapers – handle into shaft, shaft into line, line into leader. That taper is the engine of Miller’s work which he calls Fly-Cast Painting. Every painting begins as a physical arc through space: thousands of casts, thousands of accelerations and releases of the shaped materials he calls Fly Brushes, attached to the end of the line.

 

Miller paints on the back of the clear plexiglass. The plexiglass does not absorb the strike; it receives it. Only after the casting is finished and the paint has dried is the panel turned around to reveal the river. 

 

Miller’s stated goal for these works is not to invent a river, but to mark down the truth of the one in front of him. 

 

In 2018 Ben Miller began the Endangered Rivers Project out of a growing recognition that the rivers that had shaped his life and practice were also among the systems most at risk.

 

Ben Miller is partnering with master printer Gary Lichtenstein to produce fine-art silkscreen editions of selected works. Rather than reproducing existing Fly-Cast Paintings, these editions begin as original works created specifically for printmaking. Miller casts onto individual mylar sheets that become color separations. Depending on the image, 12 – 20 screens may be required to complete a final composition.

Produced at Gary Lichtenstein Editions at MASS MoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts, the editions create a new point of entry for collectors while remaining rooted in Miller's Fly-Cast Painting process. The edition will be released before the 2026 holiday season so follow our socials or sign up for our mailing list for news and updates. 

 

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www.benmillerartist.com