The joy of art
For Bo Miller, art and illustration has always been a passion. Since he was a child reading comic books and watching cartoons, he was fascinated with the way artists created characters.
“I learned about art by going to the library and studying different drawing and shading techniques and reading books about how to draw,” says Bo. He creates many of his drawings in pencil but also works with ink and has done oil painting.
While receiving support at the Provincial Assessment Centre (PAC), Bo has worked on many pieces ranging from fairies and superheroes to robots and Greek gods. PAC is a part of CLBC and provides inpatient assessment, support and planning for eligible individuals through a multi-disciplinary team approach. On a table near the entrance of PAC, a number of Bo’s drawings are on display with a short write up on his artistic development and interests.
“People enjoyed seeing it. They said it’s really good and they had never seen anything like it before,” says Bo proudly of his work.
In addition to drawing and painting, he is interested in the culinary arts and loves to cook. He is also connecting with his First Nations heritage. While at PAC, Bo, who is one quarter Blackfoot, took part in a cleansing ceremony called a “smudge”.
After his discharge from PAC, Bo plans to continue working on his art during his own time and in classes, and is also interested in studying animation. There may even be an opportunity for him to provide lessons for young artists who are just starting to develop their skills.
“It’s just satisfying to create something,” he says.
