ABOUT MILA

I grew up in the artistic colony of Carmel, CA, in an environment where creating art was a natural part of life. Born to European immigrant parents whose life and careers were enveloped in the arts and whose friends were a collection of poets, musicians, composers, potters, graphic designers and architects, I was encouraged to explore and follow a life full in the love and expression of the arts.

I initially mimicked my mother’s footsteps and began to paint in watercolors, soon realizing that my strong sense of design (architect father) and my visceral sense of color was yearning for a juicier surface. I moved to painting in oils. 

I also translated my work into batik where the exciting and untamed process of the hot wax touching the canvas urged me to explore many different avenues in this medium from wall pieces to clothing. 

Then for a brief stint I became immersed in costume design having sewn and designed all my own clothing growing up. This led to hairdressing, which now remains my career and has allowed me to freely explore my deeply rooted art expression.

Printmaking was another medium I delved into, thoroughly enjoying the wild freedom of the transferred expression of the inking plate to the finished surface. I found through this medium I was able to combine my strong sense of design and my love of raw nature. I then studied fabric design and silk screening which was a natural transgression from the press.

All of these experiences led me to this current point in my life. After experiencing a fire loss, followed by a rebuild, a certain kind of rebirth occurred. On my many walks through the fire-scarred areas of earth I found flowers that weren’t struggling to survive, but thriving, drinking in the solitude of the landscape.

I began to allow my energies and emotions explode on canvas, resulting in a series of oil paintings named the Terra Flora and the Sunrise series. These works depict the extraordinary resilience and beauty of nature. They are an explosion of color, form and balance, and elicit a joyful nature.