Stormie Mills, 'They Built a Gallery Down There', 210 x 210 cm, mixed media on canvas, POA

Metro Gallery is proud to present Peoples and Places, an exhibition of new work by Australian contemporary artist, Stormie Mills.

As a child Stormie Mills travelled extensively. He attended 8 different schools and was constantly on the move, experiencing new places and cultures. It was though this travel that Stormie developed his passion for observing people which continues to inform his character based work.

Stormie Mills, 'Here I Stand', mixed media on canvas, 150 x 200 cm POA

Peoples and Places takes this examination one step further by contextualising the characters with an environment and how it has the potential to impact on who we ultimately become.

Stormie Mills, 'Un-Dead Ed' 100cm x 100cm, dirt spray paint graffiti remover and oil on canvas, POA

Stormie said, “I’m a firm believer, as a watcher of people that where we come from forms a major part of who we are. 

Having travelled extensively since i was a small child I’ve watched people and believe that our immediate surroundings have a huge impact on the physical way we carry ourselves or move. This in turn becomes ingrained in us mentally as well. 

Animals are subject to an evolutionary process that shapes them to suit their environment. For us it’s about the development of a set of characteristics and self-adornment that directly responds to our surrounds.”

Stormie Mills 'Gordon (inexplicably interwined)' dirt, spray paint, graffiti remover, oil on canvas, POA

It was a recent trip to Antarctica that inspired Stormie to contemplate the idea that people evolve in response to their environment.

The idea what we are “Shaped” by our surroundings is explored in Peoples and Places, inspired by travels throughout America, Europe, Asia and Antarctica where Stormie spent time people watching and recording the subtle nuances that gave each community its own set of characteristics.

Stormie Mills, 'Fixable' triptych 182.5 x 197.5 cm dirt, spray paint, graffiti remover, oil on canvas, POA

By connecting the idea of landscape and environment to his unique characters Stormie delivers a further insight into what it is that shapes who we are and how we get there.

The body of work is exploring the idea of nature vs nurture.

Stormie Mills, 'The Les' 165 x 254 cm, dirt, spray paint, graffiti remover, oil on canvas, POA

Stormie Mills, A solo exhibition “Peoples and Places” runs from the 1st to the 20th of October