Artist Biography
Joanna Lee Miller is a South African classically trained fine artist who is passionate about painting from life. Joanna broke from an eleven-year international corporate career in the US, UK and Singapore to train as a professional artist in 2017 at The Florence Academy of Art in Italy. Joanna’s technical training follows the traditional academic methods of the 19th Century European Ateliers, enabling her to heighten her contemporary oil paintings with a stroke of classical realism.
Joanna was born in Cape Town, South Africa. She grew up surrounded by nature and majestic scenery, beginning her lifelong passion for her environment. Joanna also has a deep interest in psychology (she studied Organisational Psychology at the University of Cape Town). Her expressive paintings of landscapes and people explore how our connection with nature and each other can help us connect with a deeper understanding of ourselves.
Joanna is currently in her final year of the Advanced Painting program at the Florence Academy of Art. Joanna is based in Cape Town, South Africa. Joanna has attended art classes and workshops in Cape Town, New York, London, Singapore and Florence, focusing on the figure, portraits and landscapes.
While in Florence, Joanna created and hosted more than 20 Artist Salons, where students, teachers and friends came together on Saturday evenings to talk about topics pertinent to being a professional artist today, such as relevancy, personal identity, working with galleries, inspiration, and many more.
Joanna has exhibited her paintings at the Florence Academy of Art’s Student Exhibition (2020), and is a participant in the Zeitz Mocaa exhibit “Home is where the art is” – an exhibition by Capetonians for Capetonians (October 2020 – January 2021).
Artist Resume and Experience
Joanna began her professional painting training in 2017 at the Florence Academy of Art in Florence, Italy. Joanna has completed the First Year Drawing Program and Second Year Intermediate Painting Program. Joanna is in her final trimester of the Third Year Advanced Painting Program. Prior to this, Joanna attended oil painting and drawing classes in Cape Town, New York, London and Singapore.
Before committing to painting full time, Joanna was a Change Management Consultant and Human Resources professional, working for Deloitte Consulting (New York, 2006-2011) and American Express (New York, London, Singapore, 2011-2017). Joanna has an Honours degree in Business Science, majoring in Organisational Psychology, from the University in Cape Town, South Africa (2002).
Experience and education
Artistic Training (2010-current)
Florence, Italy (2017-present)
Florence Academy of Art Drawing and Painting three-year Certificate Program – April 2017-June 2021 (in progress)
Landscape Painting Workshops with Daniela Astone (Director of Second Year Intermediate Painting Program, Florence Academy of Art) – April 2017, April 2018, April 2019, May 2019
Painting the Figure in the Landscape with Ben Fenske and Daniela Astone – June 2018
Sculpting the Figure for Painters with Mitch Shea (Director of Sculpting Program at Florence Academy of Art) – October 2018-March 2019
Singapore (2015-2017)
My Art Space (drawing classes)
The Federation of the Arts Singapore (live figure drawing)
Classical Realism art classes with Clayton Hudnall
London, United Kingdom (2013-2014)
Lavender Hill Studios (now called London Fine Art Studios): Foundations Course, Evening Course - Figure/Portrait (charcoal and oil)
New York City, United States (2010-2012)
New York Academy of Art, evening classes: Painting the Figure in Oil with James Hoston, live model figure drawing with Hal Edward Brooks.
Spring Street Drawing Studios, weekend classes
University Education
University of Cape Town, Bachelor of Business Science, Organisational Psychology Honours (1999-2002)
General Education
Camps Bay High School (1994-1997) and Abbott’s College (1998)
Painting as one of 6 final high school subjects
Awards: Best artwork and highest marks for Art in final year of high school; received the class art award in various years during high school at Camps Bay High School
Frank Joubert Art School – extra-curricular art classes throughout high school
Exhibitions