Known for his painstakingly intricate mixed-media sculptures, Canadian artist Chris Millar continues to test the bounds of scale and detail. Two recent works epitomize his ongoing explorations: “A Prize Every Time” and “Loom Beneath the Loam,” the latter of which contains eight tiny paintings, two relief sculptures, and numerous sculptural elements attached to a brass frame. Cartoonish pendants, vignettes with faces, branch-like tendrils and more lend the piece an enigmatic contraption-like quality, as if the pull of a hidden lever will send the entire thing into motion.
In a departure from his multimedia pieces, “A Prize Every Time” is a meticulously rendered acrylic painting containing some 90 portraits of notable figures from Alberta who populate a map of the province, where the artist originally hails from. It has the look of a tourism map merged with a look-and-find book.
“Loom Beneath the Loam” (2026), acrylic paint, resin, brass, and steel, 8.5 x 10.25 inches
“To an American audience, a lot of the Alberta-centric easter eggs will go over their heads, but even if they don’t know about Alberta’s history or geography, it’s a pretty fun painting to look at!” Millar says. You may recognize a few famous individuals, such as Michael J. Fox and Joni Mitchell, both of whom were born there.
See more on Millar’s Instagram.
Detail of “Loom Beneath the Loam”
Detail of “Loom Beneath the Loam”
Detail of “Loom Beneath the Loam”
Detail of “A Prize Every Time”
Detail of “A Prize Every Time”
Detail of “A Prize Every Time”
Detail of “A Prize Every Time”
Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.
- Hide advertising
- Save your favorite articles
- Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop
- Receive members-only newsletter
- Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms