John Paul Miller
- Born
- Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, United States
- Died
- Brecksville, Ohio, United States
- Biography
John Paul Miller earned a diploma in 1940 at the Cleveland Institute of Art and then taught three-dimensional design there for forty-three years.
Miller has made a significant contribution to American metalwork by reviving the ancient technique of granulation, which involves attaching tiny gold granules to a gold surface without solder. When the granules and the surface are heated, their molecules are exchanged and affixed to each other.
Skilled in granulation as well as in forging and cloisonne enameling, Miller is adept at combining all three techniques to create exquisite jewelry.
Kenneth R. Trapp and Howard Risatti Skilled Work: American Craft in the Renwick Gallery (Washington, D.C.: National Museum of American Art with the Smithsonian Institution Press, 1998)
- Luce Artist Biography
John Paul Miller is noted for reviving the ancient technique of granulation, a process of attaching tiny gold granules to a gold surface without using solder. Miller studied industrial design and ceramics at the Cleveland Institute of Art before enlisting in the Army in 1941. During his service, he painted twelve murals for the recreation hall on the military base and made illustrations and maps for the tactical uses of tanks. After being discharged, Miller returned to the institute to teach classes in watercolor, design, film animation, painting, jewelry, and silversmithing until 1983. He spent his evenings making jewelry with fellow metalsmith Fred A. Miller, and used his summers to travel to the Rocky Mountains, where he found inspiration for his pieces in his deep appreciation of music and nature.