Colorful Murals Bring Our History to Life
Using hues from our new Northwest Color Collection, three Portland mural artists reimagined our 132-year-old founding story at our flagship location on SE Grand Avenue in Portland’s Central Eastside Design District.
Miller Paint has been a part of the fabric of the Pacific Northwest for 132 years, founded on the creativity, innovation, and commitment to quality of a young artist from Germany, Ernest Miller. Drawing on his artist background, Ernest Miller began creating his own quality paints in bright, durable colors crafted for the Pacific Northwest’s wet climate. In partnership with Portland Street Art Alliance, three locally acclaimed artists found inspiration in Ernest Miller’s early history as one of Portland’s first artists and muralists. Read on to learn more about the meaning behind each of the artists’ designs painted at our flagship location.
“Community is the focal point of all that I do. As a painter, I find mural painting to be the perfect niche for me because making public art has allowed me to make art that is accessible to the communities I champion. I am excited to create a work of art that honors the history of Miller Paint and its many contributions to the Pacific Northwest.”
- Kyra Watkins
“After watching Miller Paint’s founding story, I was drawn to the images of the horse and buggy and the old box trucks used to deliver paint. These images represent the evolution of the company’s growth over the years. I was also drawn to old wallpaper samples and took inspiration from the floral designs to add to my mural.”
- Maddo Hues
“I chose roses for my inspiration since they represent the beauty that Miller Paint has created inside homes and on the exterior of homes and buildings. Roses thrive everywhere in the City of Roses just like Miller Paint has been created for the Pacific Northwest climate. I added a single rose hip for founder Ernest Miller and the beauty that continues to flourish through his legacy and the company he created and built.”
- Alicia Schultz