Project Blog
with artist SammyJo Miller
Find Your Voice
Charcoal and acrylic on mixed media, 2x2 ft., 2025
Created for the Minnesota Renaissance Festival’s mural competition, this 2x2 ft piece draws on a chapter of history when women’s voices were often silenced in public, their contributions woven into the fabric of the era yet rarely acknowledged. The Renaissance is remembered for its beauty, music, and flourishing ideas - but many of those ideas carried the imprint of women whose names have been lost to time.
Find Your Voice imagines the moment that silence is broken - when a single, clear note rises above the noise and can no longer be ignored. The work blends the gentle, time-worn textures of the era with flowing strokes that give shape to sound itself, echoing the truth that speaking out, in any age, is both a defiance and a freedom.
Starting the Project: Laying the Groundwork
The first step in bringing Find Your Voice to life was setting the stage - quite literally - for the image to emerge. I began by printing period-appropriate sheet music, and handwritten script, the kind that might have drifted through a Renaissance hall. These pages were then torn into fragments, their edges softened and imperfect, and carefully adhered to a prepared panel.
The panel itself was weatherproofed with a layer of polyethylene, a necessary step since the finished piece will spend several weeks displayed outdoors at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. Once the music fragments dried in place, I brushed the surface with a thin acrylic wash, allowing the notes to peek through a muted, aged tone. A final coat of gel medium sealed the surface, giving me the perfect ground for the next stage: working in charcoal.
This layered beginning - music, written word, timeworn edges, and a protected yet receptive surface - felt like the right foundation for a piece about voices, history, and resilience.
Drawing from Within
With the prepared surface ready, I began the image using a charcoal outline to map her form, then layered in soft conté crayon for warmth and depth. Her eyes are closed, holding the sound inside for just a moment longer.
The ribbon of voice begins deep at her core, winding outward in graceful curves a visual echo of the music hidden beneath the surface. Each stroke was shaped to feel like breath and song intertwined, carrying the quiet strength within.
With the figure and flowing ribbons in place, it was time to finish and protect the work for its outdoor display. I began by sealing the charcoal and conté crayon with a clear fixative, locking the loose mediums in place. From there, I added acrylic-painted details , subtle touches that sharpened her features and provided more definition.
A soft acrylic wash was brushed over the charcoal to lift certain areas, letting lighter tones emerge. Highlights and deep outlines were then added to push the contrast, giving the image the presence it needed to stand against the layered background.
When the final adjustments were complete, I sealed the entire panel with a coat of polyurethane, ensuring it would withstand the elements.
On a bright morning, I delivered Find Your Voice to the festival grounds in Shakopee, Minnesota. For the duration of the 2025 Minnesota Renaissance Festival, she will stand among the color, sound, and movement - a quiet reminder of voices that will not be forgotten.
Find Your Voice
Charcoal and acrylic on mixed media, 2x2 ft.