B I O + C V
Lavely Miller-Kershman (b. 1978, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina) is a contemporary realist painter who works in large scale. For the past three years her portraits and figures have focused primarily on the visual narration of the effects of trauma. They are windows into intimate, personal journeys and reflections of universal experience.
Mark Jenkins, writing for the Washington Post, describes her work as containing depths that are “both metaphorical and literal. That the format evokes Renaissance art seems apt...her paintings have an eerie timelessness.” Miller-Kershman draws reference from faces she observes around her, close members of her family and friends, found images in the media and film stills. She paints with her fingers, building layers and layers of acrylic and thick gel medium.
Miller-Kershman's work is held in various public collections such as the University of Virginia, Maria McVarish's Architectural Library in San Francisco, the National Center for Transgender Equality in Washington, D.C., the Delancey Street Museum in Philadelphia and the Twenty-First Century Fox and News Corporation building in New York City. Private collections include Jock Sturges (photographer), Kate Bernstein (writer and gender theorist), Lisa Decker (note contemporary art collector) and others internationally.
Awards for Miller-Kershman's painting include a top prize at 2013's Art Basel and fellowships at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and Dacia Gallery in New York City, where she studied under Iliya Mirochnick. Her work has been published in interviews, reviews and textbooks worldwide.
Miller-Kershman graduated summa cum laude with a BFA in Studio Art from James Madison University. She holds both master's and doctoral level degrees in Clinical Mental Health from the University of Virginia, completing her residency in the area of serious mental illness.
She currently lives and works in Baltimore, Maryland. Her work is represented by Arcadia Contemporary (Los Angeles, CA) and Artist’s Proof (Washington D.C.). She also serves on the board of Foundry Gallery, Washington’s oldest member-run contemporary art space.
Mark Jenkins, writing for the Washington Post, describes her work as containing depths that are “both metaphorical and literal. That the format evokes Renaissance art seems apt...her paintings have an eerie timelessness.” Miller-Kershman draws reference from faces she observes around her, close members of her family and friends, found images in the media and film stills. She paints with her fingers, building layers and layers of acrylic and thick gel medium.
Miller-Kershman's work is held in various public collections such as the University of Virginia, Maria McVarish's Architectural Library in San Francisco, the National Center for Transgender Equality in Washington, D.C., the Delancey Street Museum in Philadelphia and the Twenty-First Century Fox and News Corporation building in New York City. Private collections include Jock Sturges (photographer), Kate Bernstein (writer and gender theorist), Lisa Decker (note contemporary art collector) and others internationally.
Awards for Miller-Kershman's painting include a top prize at 2013's Art Basel and fellowships at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and Dacia Gallery in New York City, where she studied under Iliya Mirochnick. Her work has been published in interviews, reviews and textbooks worldwide.
Miller-Kershman graduated summa cum laude with a BFA in Studio Art from James Madison University. She holds both master's and doctoral level degrees in Clinical Mental Health from the University of Virginia, completing her residency in the area of serious mental illness.
She currently lives and works in Baltimore, Maryland. Her work is represented by Arcadia Contemporary (Los Angeles, CA) and Artist’s Proof (Washington D.C.). She also serves on the board of Foundry Gallery, Washington’s oldest member-run contemporary art space.
Education /
Ed.D., Clinical Mental Health. University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.
M.Ed., Clinical Mental Health. University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.
B.F.A., Painting and Drawing. Summa Cum Laude, With Distinction, Phi Kappa Phi. James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Selected Solo Exhibitions /
2021, October. LAVELY MILLER IN MUNICH. Benjamin Eck Galerie, Munich, Germany.
2020, April. NEW PAINTINGS. W Hotel, Washington, DC.
2020, March. NEW PAINTINGS. Foundry Gallery, Washington, DC.
2019, October. LAVELY MILLER-KERSHMAN PAINTS LAVELY MILLER-KERSHMAN. The Academy, Lynchburg, Virginia.
2018, November. UNTITLED. Foundry Gallery, Washington, DC.
2018, September. BETWEEN THE GAZE. Artist's Proof, Washington, DC.
2015, June. I SHOT A MAN IN RENO. Gallery One Sixty, Cleveland, Ohio.
2012, June. LAVELY MILLER/OPEN STUDIO. Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Amherst, Virginia.
2012, March - April. CONTEMPORARY PORTRAITURE, Riverviews Artspace, Lynchburg, Virginia.
2011, January. I AM ALMOST CERTAIN THIS IS THE YEAR LILY TOMLIN FALLS IN LOVE WITH ME, Dialog Gallery, Roanoke, Virginia.
2008, July. THESE ARE NOT THE GOOD PAINTINGS, Park Group, Richmond, Virginia.
2007, July. MY MOTHER WON'T LET ME USE THE GOOD TITLE, McGuffey Art Center, Charlottesville, Virginia.
2005, October. DENNIS BIGELOW, THEATRE DIRECTOR, 52, DIES/NEW PAINTINGS, Mudhouse, Charlottesville, Virginia.
2004, November. FINGERPAINTINGS/NOVEMBER, Mountain Air Gallery, Charlottesville, Virginia.
2004, June. FINGERPAINTINGS/JUNE, Mountain Air Gallery, Charlottesville, Virginia.
2004, September. UNTITLED, Jabberwocky, Charlottesville, Virginia.
2003, June. NEW WORK, Lynchburg Fine Arts Center, Lynchburg, Virginia.
2000, January. WOMEN + MEN, Zirkle House Art Gallery, Harrsionburg, Virginia.
Selected Group Exhibitions /
2021, March. THE ART OF HEALING, SIY Gallery, San Francisco, California.
2021, July. LA ART SHOW, Los Angeles, California.
2021, May. RISING VOICES 2.0, Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, Michigan.
2021, February. OPENING EXHIBITION, Arcadia Contemporary, New York, New York.
2021, January. UNTITLED, Arcadia Contemporary, New York, New York.
2021, January. CROCKER KINGLSEY, Roseville, California.
2020, December. FLOWER + POWER, Arcadia Contemporary, Los Angeles, California.
2020, August. FIVE AND UNDER, Arcadia Contemporary, Los Angeles, California.
2020, April. ARCADIA CONTEMPORARY GROUP EXHIBITION, Arcadia Contemporary, Los Angeles, California.
2020, February. SEE, Smithsonian Affiliate, Annmarie Sculpture Garden, Dowell, Maryland.
2020, February. LA Art Show, Los Angeles, California.
2020, January. ART FORT LAUDERDALE, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
2019, July. WHERE HAVE WE BEEN, Towson University, Towson, Maryland.
2018, February. HERE & ELSEWHERE (four person show), Foundry Gallery, Washington, DC.
2018, January. MEMORY, Foundry Gallery, Washington, DC.
2017, October. STROKES OF GENIUS, Circle Gallery, Annapolis, Maryland.
2017, January. YOUNG AND ARTFUL, Visual Arts Center, Richmond, Virginia.
2014, November. 6th ANNUAL GROUP SHOW, Riverviews, Lynchburg, Virginia.
2014, August. RESIDENT ARTISTS GROUP SHOW, Dacia Gallery, New York City, New York.
2013, November. 5th ANNUAL GROUP SHOW, Riverviews, Lynchburg, Virginia.
2012, February. ALL MEDIA SHOW, ArtWorks Gallery, Richmond, Virginia.
2010, January. WOMEN'S STUDIES GROUP SHOW, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia.
2008, July. PARK GABLES ART EXHIBITION, VMRC Park Gables Gallery, Bridgewater, Virginia.
2006, July. SUMMER ART SHOW, McGuffey Art Center, Charlottesville, Virginia.
2006, July. VMRC 3RD ANNUAL JURIED MULTIMEDIA ART EXHIBITION, VMRC Park Gables Gallery, Harrisonburg, Virginia.
2006, April. DETAIL. OPENING, Detail Gallery, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
2006, February. NEW MEMBERS SHOW, McGuffey Art Association, Charlottesville, Virginia.
2005, February. LAVELY MILLER, AMY CASEY: TWO PERSON SHOW, Miller-Weitzel Gallery, Cleveland, Ohio.
2004, October. NATIONAL FIGURE EXHIBITION, Red Dot Fine Art, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
2003, December. NEW PAINTINGS/ TWO PERSON SHOW, Mountain Air Gallery, Charlottesville, Virginia.
2002-1999, Monthly. GROUP SHOW, Bozart Gallery, Charlottesville, Virginia.
2000, April. JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY’S ANNUAL STUDENT SHOW, Sawhill Gallery, Harrisonburg, Virginia.
1999, May. FEMINISM; AN ART EXHIBITION, Zirkle House Gallery, Harrisonburg, Virginia.
1999, April. JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY’S ANNUAL STUDENT SHOW, Sawhill Gallery, Harrisonburg, Virginia.
1999, September. FUNKHOUSE ANNUAL PARLOR SHOW, Funkhouse, Harrisonburg, Virginia.
1998, April. JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY’S ANNUAL STUDENT SHOW, Sawhill Gallery, Harrisonburg, Virginia.
1998, August. ANAFTA SUMMER EXHIBITION, Amherst-Nelson Alliance for the Arts, Amherst, Virginia.
1998, May. PHOTOGRAPHY OF WOMEN BY WOMEN, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia.
1998, December. LYNCHBURG FINE ARTS CENTER WINTER EXHIBITION, Lynchburg, Virginia.
Awards /
2021, November. The Bennett Prize, finalist (winner announced May 2021), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
2020, May. Adolph and Ester Gottlieb Grant, New York City, New York.
2020, February. Juror’s Choice Award, from National Museum of American History/Smithsonian Institution’s Camy Clough, Dowell, Maryland.
2017, October. Finalist for solo exhibition at Dacia Gallery, New York City, New York.
2014, November. Best In Show Award, Riverviews 6th Annual Group Show, Lynchburg, Virginia.
2014, August. Artist Residency/Fellowship, Dacia Gallery, New York City, New York.
2013, June. Context Award – Art, Scope Art Festival, Art Basel, Miami, Florida.
2012, June. Artist Residency/Fellowship, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Amherst, Virginia.
2006, Honorable Mention, VRMC Juried Group Show, Harrisonburg, Virginia.
2000, The Art Achievement Award, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia.
1999, Best in Show Award, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia.
1998, Best in Show Award, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia.
1996, Best in Show Award, Lynchburg Kaleidoscope Festival, Lynchburg, Virginia.
1996, Amherst-Nelson Alliance for the Arts Award, Amherst, Virginia.
Reviews, Articles and Publications /
2021, March. James Madison University College of Visual and Performing Arts. CVPA Spotlight: Lavely Miller.
2021, February. Fine Art Connoisseur. Mention about The Bennett Prize, feature of my work.
2021, February. American Art Collector. Article on The Bennett Prize finalists.
2020, April. Beautiful Bizarre Magazine. Review of paintings at Arcadia Contemporary.
2019, October. Academy Center of the Arts Blog, Lynchburg, Virginia. Review of solo show.
2019, October. Amherst New Era Progress, Amherst, Virginia. Review of solo show.
2019, October. Lynchburg News and Advance, Lynchburg, Virginia. Review of solo show.
2018, December. Washington Post, Washington, DC. Review of solo show.
2012, September. Straw Dogs Magazine, Nicosia, Republic of Cyprus. Artist Interview.
2012, May. Richmond Magazine's R-Home, Richmond, Virginia. Painting used for cover.
2012, The Art Takes Miami Book, Art Basel, Miami, Florida. Paintings, interview and artist profile.
2005, Issue 15, Fall/Winter. Meridian: The Semi-Annual from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia. Drawing used for cover and inside art.
2007, September. Albemarle Magazine, Charlottesville, Virginia. Interview and review of work.
2007, August. The Daily Progress, Charlottesville, Virginia. Review of solo exhibition.
2007, July. The Hook, Charlottesville, Virginia. Review of solo exhibition.
2007, July. C-Ville Weekly, Charlottesville, Virginia. Review of paintings.
2006, January. Charlottesville Arts and Entertainment, Charlottesville, Virginia, Artist interview.
2006, January 17-23. C-Ville Weekly, Charlottesville, Virginia. Review of paintings.
2005, October 2-10. C-Ville Weekly, Charlottesville, Virginia. Review of paintings.
2003, Responding to Art; form, content, and context, by Robert Bersson, Ph.D., McGraw-Hill. Written essay on the photographs of Sally Mann published in art history textbook.
2003, Responding to Art; form, content, and context, by Robert Bersson, Ph.D., McGraw-Hill. Photograph published in art history textbook.
2000, Contextualizing the Formal: a body of work influenced by opposing esthetician and artist’s looks at contextual and formal pieces of art, James Madison University. Honor’s Thesis, published by the university.
1999, National 1999 Educator Awards for Advancing Special Education Through the Arts, The P. Buckley Moss Foundation. Summaries of review for applicants receiving national teaching awards. Written essay on national teaching awards for art.
1999, The Creative Mind: Special Arts for Special Needs, the P. Buckley Moss Foundation. Written essay/review of artist presentations.
Selected Past/Present Collections /
Twenty-First Century Fox and News Corporation Building, New York City, New York.
The New Salem Museum, New Salem, Massachusetts.
The University of Virginia Library System, Charlottesville, Virginia.
Virginia Commonwealth University, Women's Studies Department, Richmond, Virginia.
Maria McVarish Design Services, San Francisco, California.
The National Center for Transgender Equality, Washington, D.C.
Delancey Street Museum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Law offices of Gordon-Creed, Kelley, Holl & Sugerman, San Franciso, California.
Private collection of Jock Sturges, Seattle, Washington.
Private collection of Kate Bornstein, New York City, New York.
Various private collections throughout the United States, France, Germany, Greece, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Cyprus and the UK.
Gallery Representation /
Arcadia Contemporary / Los Angeles, CA.
Artist's Proof, Washington, DC.
