The Power of Art to nurture our children

Interview Title: It Takes An Entire Village

Today's Valuable Resources/Link:

·         - https://george-miller-cms.webflow.io/

Summary

In this episode, I introduce you to George Miller.

George Miller is an illustrator and public speaker based out of northeast Florida. For over 20 years educational institutions, private and public offices, businesses and communities all over the world have benefited from George's multicultural and child advocacy artwork and messages.

George's art inspires us to learn in cross-cultural and multi-ethnic environments. Students and parents, educators and professionals, business owners and government leaders have praised George for his work that clearly reflects a love for children, his respect for those who teach and care for our kids, and his passion to bring awareness to the problem of illiteracy.

As an invited speaker at conferences and local schools, George's lively presentations focus on both the benefits of the creative process, and our individual ability to self-determine a lifetime of successful living..

Today he speaks about:

Art, and inspiration with an artist whose art is featured in a movie with Denzel Washington. (0:08)

Child advocacy through art and personal experience. (10:40)

Raising children, importance of village. (16:27)

The importance of community and love. (23:30)

Join me for this episode of Mommy Heal Thyself to learn more about the importance of using art to create the village to nurture our children.

Transcript
(Note, this was transcribed using a transcription software and may not reflect the exact words used in the podcast)

Intro  0:00 

Welcome to Mommy Heal Thyself.  We featured guests that provide you with the tools, resources and strategies you need to say no to a life of pain and suffering all forms of preventable disease, toxic drugs and unnecessary surgeries. We hope to inspire you to boldly reclaim your ability to heal, and to serve ones to love.

Dr Michelle  0:08 

Welcome, everyone to a another episode of mommy heal thyself. Today I'm here with a phenomenal artists. He is George Miller, an illustrator, public speaker based out of Northeast Florida. So he's right near me. I'm just so thrilled about this. for over 20 years in educational institutions, private and public offices, business, and communities all over the world have benefited from Georgia's multicultural and child advocacy network and messages. George's art inspires us to learn in cross cultural and multi ethnic environments, students and parents, educators and professionals, business owners and government leaders have praised George for his work that clearly reflects a love for children, his respect for those who teach and care for our kids, his passion to bring awareness to the problems of illiteracy, as an invited speaker at conferences and schools. George's lively presentations focus on both the benefits of the creative process and our individual ability visual ability to self to self determine L Turman a lifetime of lifetime of successful living. Ah, George, thank you. Thank you. Thank you for joining us today.

George Miller  1:37 

Thank you for having me back to my show. I'm happy to be here.

Dr Michelle  1:40 

You know, one of the main reasons why I reached out to you is because I had gotten an email that featured your artwork, as part of a film that was with Denzel Washington. It was in the background, I can't remember what film was now. And it was, it takes a village. Oh, my God, that is so super awesome. And I guess right behind you right now, actually, that beautiful picture of all of these hands, lifting up the baby. And so I would love for you to talk to us a little bit about that piece, in particular, when you were inspired to create it. And what was the inspiration?

George Miller  2:31 

Yeah, I created it takes a terrible place to raise a child in 1993. And I think that inspiration more than anything at that time, I had moved to Los Angeles, I was living in Los Angeles. And every February they would put on a huge art show at the Baldwin Hills Mall called the artists salute to Black History Month. And it featured all the prominent African American artists from around the country. So Charles Bibbs outlet for now, Kenny Gatewood, all kinds of great artists would come to this gather in this mall, set up their art. And for three or four days, they put on this tremendous show of black art. And, and so each year, they would select one artists to be in center court. And the way they would select that artists to be in center court. So that's where everyone wanted to be. You would if you could get to center court, you were somebody at the artists salute at Black History Month, curated by Barbara Wesson. So So I wanted to be so badly into center court. I wanted that spot. I was a new artist on the scene. Not very many people knew who I was and, and all fairness, I was just really getting started compared to some other artists who had been around for decades. But when that opportunity came up, I wanted, that's what I wanted. I wanted to be in center court. And so I needed to create a piece of artwork that was going to grab the attention of everyone that was really going to be a strong piece and maybe that would get me into center court. I created at the time I was I was into African proverb so everyone knows that it takes an entire village to raise a child is an African proverb. It's been around for 1000 1000 years. Some people tend to think Mrs. Clinton came up with that when she came out with her book but it has been around long before as Clinton and so I had and so I had been into I've been into African proverb or African proverb sticks in both sticks and bundles are not those are not

George Miller  5:00 

a child who has a child. And when my thought my thought that I would village it, I would illustrate this piece write this piece and everybody can everybody would love it, and I would love it and I get to be, I get to be the center at the center court artists and we're artists at the Baldwin Hills of Owen hills that was my goal. That's my goal. It didn't quite hit didn't quite happen like that. I've been like that. That's okay, that's okay, I pray, I created the PBA did the piece I entered, I entered it in there then I actually I actually got second place second place to to another another artists with very good, very good artists and has been an artist and has been around a lot longer gone a lot longer didn't meet me at the time I was I'm I was I was super dismissed super disappointed by pointless, but I understood. I understood. Understood, understood, you know, so, so. So I so I, I, I at least had ahead LIS had a had an opportunity, an opportunity to create to create a beautiful piece of beautiful piece of artwork of artwork. Now the know the funny thing is funny thing is whoever's whoever's piece of art or piece of artwork was chosen was chosen for that, for that particular thing. ticular thing they had to give up, they had to give up the rights to the rights to it. So the right so the rights to it belongs to it belongs to the artists, to the artists. So black history, Black History Month, so and so in that respect, respect, hindsight, hindsight, I was not I had not won and did one and did not have to give not have to give up my rights, my rights to that piece of piece of artwork, which of our which later, later, got it to move to get it to the movie, the preacher's wife, the preacher's wife, in jail and Whitney, Whitney Houston and all these other great all these other great actresses and actresses and actors. There's all of the artwork that I've created, I've created that entity that is still the best deal, the best selling piece of solid piece of artwork that I artwork that I have, I have so I am so thankful to God, I thought the God that he's made, that he's made me to bring that either bring that out, into, into, you know, I love I love the fact I love the fact that you are set you are so, so humble, humble. And so and so. Honor, honoring of the reality of the reality that God that God uses, God uses us to deliver us to deliver messages or messages and that and that spirit that fluster that flows through you is through you is so genuine. so genuine. I mean, I like I mean, I like even to this day, I created the artwork in 1993 we were supposed to request to record this particular this particular episode or episode weeks ago, weeks ago, but some, but something was acting fun was acting funky with the odd key with the audio. And I was like, Yeah, and I was like, dark, dark, dark, dark Dawn, burn. But even even in that short, that short That, to me is the message of not only allowing Spirit to guide you, but allowing that spirit that comes through the community to lift up that child, you know, oh, so beautiful. Now let's, let's unpack some of this. Because appreciation and, and concern concern for our children because our children because when I look at that when I look at that particular piece, particular piece, you know, you know, I'm getting, I'm getting goosebumps right now whose phones right now, but I but I just where you can retire and go home and be and be set for life. So what enabled you to be able to make that choice? That's funny. At the time, I was 33 years old. And and when I told my father, who had in fact, retired from the post offices, cells, unit that I was a 15 year old kid who had just wrecked the car, he hit the ceiling. H is wrong. You don't quit your job to draw pictures. If you hit the ceiling, and is because I want to share with women in particular, the important message

Dr Michelle  10:40 

that you cannot, you should not you were never designed to try to do this by yourself. And when we look at that picture

Dr Michelle  10:51 

I could do those things. And that's why I really feel like when village came, that was that was my confirmation. That was the one that it's okay. You don't have to listen to everybody else. This is a path that I would have you on. And I'm glad that you've taken it. So you know, without a shadow of a doubt, it was a very difficult thing to do. I ended I resigned on my birthday was my gift back to myself on on August the eighth I resigned from the post office. And, and haven't looked back since. I'm appreciative and thankful hold the blessings that come my way. smiles like your gorgeous smile that I get the tanks. You know, sometimes they can buy a picture. Sometimes they can't. But they always have all this beautiful energy for me. And I'm so thankful for that. If I can, I created the artwork. And then shortly afterwards, I created a poem to go with you. I think that it is beautiful as the picture itself. May I Yes, please. So I'm speaking to you. I am going to speak to you as if I am the king of the village. We are all gathered around.

Unknown Speaker  12:22 

So I would tell my village.

Dr Michelle  12:26 

Be mindful my people of what you do what you say, a child was born in the village today. Be thoughtful my people for the things that she ears and all that she seeds will pattern her ways and the life that she leads. Understand my ability that the responsibility lies in each one of us that see through her eyes, for the inevitable fate of the entire nation begins with the raising of God

Unknown Speaker  13:03 

and takes entire groceries

Dr Michelle  13:06 

and sounds sometimes I use the pronoun of her and sometimes I use a pronoun of him. It doesn't matter. But I raised three daughters. So I like to use a pronoun.

Unknown Speaker  13:20 

Thank you so much for sharing that.

Dr Michelle  13:24 

I would love for you to talk a little bit more about what came first, the illustration or the advocacy for children? I think I think that's a good question. That's a good question. I think a little of both, I guess because the parent and I was a single parent for a long time that that it was put in the it was fertilizing the soul for the advocacy are so so I think in a sense the advocacy came first but the art came now It was part of who I am. And as I began to create and began to get my artwork out there, it always seemed to have children in it. And different organizations were coming to me the Child Welfare League of America, the National SafePlace network,

George Miller  14:29 

national alternative educators different organizations were coming to me saying, George, we have a conference coming up. Could you create a piece of artwork for us? And so I lay it neck and neck itself towards children and I can remember a lady asking me what kind of art work what kind of artists are you so artists like to say I'm a portrait artists on the landscape artists I am. I am Maybe they'll talk about how they found an abstract artists on the sculptures. And when people asked me, I wasn't really sure what to say. And it was actually a lady who had came to my display and looked at my artwork. And, and she basically told me, George, a lot of your artwork, advocates for kids. I was doing a lot of artwork for school, a mass picture science, social studies, mental health. And so she basically told me that I was a child advocacy artists. And I said, You know what, you're right. That's the direction I see the layman in it. And I just kind of adopted what she had told me later come to find out that I'd like to say that I'm pretty much the only child advocacy artists in the country yet but what two, I went to a gathering of all these artists who were in what they do, and a young lady in her 20s came up to me and said, You know what, I think I want to be a child advocacy artist. And that felt so amazing. Like, wow, somebody wants to do what I'm doing. And I think from that point on, it's just kind of follow up. So love the next conference, I'll be the next conference. The next conference that I'll be going to will be the Daniel Memorial conference. At the rose Inn in Orlando. It's for foster kids to go from there to advance in school mental health, that's also going to be in Orlando and December that will be in the center. So I basically sell my artwork through these conferences are attended sometimes by hundreds of people sometimes 1000s much basically Hi, I've always shown and sold my artwork. Wow. So I'm curious when you said that you were a single tap that for some time. How when were you a single dad and are you still a single dad or how old are your kids are they grown more little people at this point, have my children have grown so my three daughters are grown so my youngest just came to visit me. A few days ago we just put

Dr Michelle  17:49 

her on she just jumped on the plane to go back home. But my oldest Jas is 42. Then Mia is 35 and joy is

Speaker 3  18:03 

26 so they are spread out.

Unknown Speaker  18:08 

I single parented two of them.

Unknown Speaker  18:13 

I have five grandkids

George Miller  18:18 

and I spend a lot of time and energy with my grandkids. I will and this is post pandemic I was running around the country doing a lot of shows and staying very busy. But when the pandemic shut everything down the one thing that I learned from that was such a terrible time and and so many of my friends lost people I was fortunate enough to not lose anyone. But just to take a measure of take from their experiences. It taught me there we have to spend as much time as we can with the people we love because there's no guarantee that they're always going to be there and time with my grandkids was basically zoom calls and FaceTime and Marco Polo and in which is all good as the technology of today but there's nothing like being right there and helping them get ready for school in the morning and picking them up from here and there and we complain about it but we know we love them lot of time now with my grandkids happy to be able to do so how You have three daughters and five grandkids. So that is what makes your story even more tremendous, you know that you are doing this journey as a single dad of girls. Because Lord knows, I have five children and the girls, I believe, are harder than the guys to raise. So I can only imagine as a father going through the adventure of raising girls is just tremendous. And to to always be able to hold on to that faith. And that acknowledgement that God is in control and that God will provide I know, that must have been a challenge for you at different points in the journey. So now, tell us a little bit more about what do you feel? Is the message that you wanted to convey? In that first illustration of

Unknown Speaker  20:47 

it takes an entire village?

George Miller  20:55 

Believe you said, the comparability piece? Yes.

Unknown Speaker  21:02 

Okay. So,

George Miller  21:03 

um, other than trying to be the

Speaker 3  21:07 

artists that made it into center court, the message that I would

George Miller  21:12 

give by it takes entire village to raise a child is that it definitely, it always will. Moving forward, we think that I've talked to a lot of people I know, the village and I don't want the village, raising my child, you don't understand the concept of a village is are the people that you allow to be your village. So just because that person lives next door to you doesn't necessarily mean that they are a part of your village. So like you were saying earlier, nobody can do this on their own.

Dr Michelle  21:48 

As a single dad, there was no way I could do it on my own. I had sisters and cousins and, and many people that helped me that were part of my village. And that we have to understand, and we have to decide who our village is. And

George Miller  22:06 

if you write it down on paper, these are the people that make up my village. These are the people that I can rely on. These are the people that are important to my family. And that can be there to help me and know who your village is. And sometimes you're fortunate enough that your village can be your church, your village can be aspects of your school, your village can be other parts of the community, if you're fortunate to have write that down to you know, but don't think that every single individually, individual in eyesight is part of your ability. That's, it's just too different. These days in there, where we can have ability to know how each person is I lived in Los Angeles, and there was a whole lot of people in Los Angeles who want to be part of your buildings. So you determine the buildings and then once you know who alleges that you proceed from the hips. Yes, I think that's the main message if you if you can look closely at the arms, there are female arms, their arms, male arms, their older arms, the my grandkids, look at my hands and they happy got all those veins in your hand. That's the older that's the wisdom. That's that's what comes with with time and age. And that's all part of the field. So

Unknown Speaker  23:40 

well, you know, you brought

George Miller  23:42 

you brought up in a very important point, which is that sometimes when we talk about it taking a village to raise a child, there's that knee jerk reaction like, Ah, no, I can't have anybody you know. And we are in a point where we are afraid of each other. We're afraid of community, we're afraid of allowing people into our sphere, you know, we, we bought into this

Dr Michelle  24:13 

horrible, dysfunctional concept of the nuclear family. And now the nuclear family revolves around one person, more so than anything else in the majority of our households, unfortunately, and we don't recognize that. Part of the reason why it takes a village is because we are selves, even as adults are the baby that need to be supported in order to support the baby, you know, in order to support our children, and I think that became more prevalent a lesson in my life after I lost my daughter, and I can look back on that situation and I and I can honestly say, perhaps I would not have lost her if I had allowed myself to do exactly what you said, which is to write down on paper, to identify and

George Miller  25:22 

to draw people in to create that village that would help me You know, I think it's a misnomer. Looking back when I say yeah, I was a single mom because as you said, it is impossible and you just you just you know, smoking something, if you think that you can raise up a child by yourself as a single Amy thing you know, so

George Miller  25:56 

yeah, you're exactly right. And, and you're exactly right about us needing to recognize the fact that I tell my daughter you know, when when you make decisions of my life at some time, you have to look at yourself like you're the child you know, and and if you were going to advise the child what advice would that's the advice you want to give to yourself and that you have to seek help the same way anyone else seeks help, same same way you would seek him out for your for your child, you need to seek them out for yourself. It's very important. Yes, we're all part of the village we all are children of the village and so we have to help each other we have to look for help we have to ask for help. It is so important in order to make this is a really tough times now and watch my daughter's deal with my grandkids they have some obstacles and some challenges that we didn't have growing up and this internet which on one hand is amazing how help it be but on the other hand, it can be detrimental to our health is cheerful and we don't watch and we don't watch how how our kids access it. So yes Just be careful, they were just you know, we're out here love one another if there's if there is a message in my artwork, single message that everyone can take in. I hope that they see love one another. That's pretty much the key to everything. Wow. Well, you know, thank you so very much for allowing yourself to be a vessel to bring forth that message of love. It is so needed in our world today. And to have that acknowledgement that we are all children of the village

Dr Michelle  28:06 

and most definitely, it takes a village so thank you so very much. And ladies and gents. In the show notes will be a link to George's website where I encourage you to go and visit and peruse all of his beautiful artwork and to perhaps the side to make your home the home for one of his As beautiful pieces of artwork, I'm I I cannot tell you how much you have definitely touched me today and inspired me with your message of hope and love. So, thank you once again. Thank you definitely. Thank you for having me. Thank you for your beautiful smile. It just makes me smile. So gorgeous.

Dr Michelle  29:10 

I really appreciate it. This has been fun and I'm so happy to be a part of. So ladies until next time, peace and blessings.

Closing: Thank you for tuning in for this episode of Mommy Heal Thyself, if you liked what we're doing here, please share subscribe, like us and leave a comment. Your feedback is very much appreciated.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai