John Miller (born 1931) was an iconic painter of the Cornish landscape and a television personality. He was born in London and became famous for his idyllic representation of beach scenes of Cornwall. Many of his paintings were of Tresco and West Penwith. He used to paint his distinctive images of deep blue sky and glowing beach from his studio at the now famous Beach House at Lelant. His artwork is so widely recognized as to have become synonymous with the county of Cornwall itself and established him as one of the county’s most popular painters. Miller’s purity of color and composition have had a significant influence on the feel and form of contemporary Cornish art, reflected today in the current trend for luminous pigments, square canvases, and low set horizons.
Miller also worked as an art teacher and was a patron of local charities and an staunch supporter of the Church of England. Miller was appointed to be responsible for some high profile architectural projects including a reordering of the interior of Newlyn Art Gallery. As his career progressed, his artistic style also underwent a radical change and his work became known worldwide as a result of the mass production and distribution of, cards, prints and cheap posters, with reproductions of his distinctive beach paintings. In 1992, Miller produced the first of these in what was to become recognized as his trademark style. His paintings became highly sought after and were only available through selected London galleries.
