Liz Miller's Exhibition, Atlas: Western Anthology, Opens at Kolman & Reeb Gallery January 3

Liz Miller

Atlas: Western Anthology

January 3 – March 7, 2026

Artist Reception: Saturday, January 10 6:00pm–8:00pm

The Kolman & Reeb Gallery has announced its first Project Space Grant exhibition in 2026, Atlas: Western Anthology, by Liz Miller. Featuring a dynamic body of wall-based sculptures, the exhibition combines reclaimed objects with weaving, color systems, and rich material transformation. The works form a vibrant, abstract atlas of memory, consumption, geography, and renewal.

At the heart of Miller’s exhibition is the simple, exhilarating thrill of the hunt. The endless and captivating search for abandoned objects; pulling over unexpectedly, digging objects out of vines, walking roadsides, and exploring overlooked spaces. Each found object becomes an unconventional souvenir tied to place, memory, and landscape. Following a self-imposed rule, Miller chooses only one object per location, echoing a childhood ritual of selecting a single souvenir per day on family road trips.

Marked by histories of use, wear, and weathering, these collected items - ranging from bent metal fragments to plastic forms - form the core of the exhibition.

In the studio, Miller transforms these collected objects through slow, repetitive weaving. She binds, wraps, and adorns each piece with cord and fiber using color palettes inspired by the official flowers of the states where the objects were found. This subtle system anchors each artwork to its geographic origin. Her weaving becomes an act of care, elevating discarded materials into visually rich contemporary abstractions. The contrast between rigid industrial remnants and soft fibers produces a striking hybrid aesthetic. Miller hopes viewers will rediscover beauty in familiar materials and reconsider the narratives embedded within everyday objects.

The project explores themes of memory, consumer culture, abandonment, and the emotional residues objects carry. Identifying her work as “reclaimed” or “upcycled,” Miller views each fragment as both a personal souvenir and an artifact of collective experience. References to childhood road-trip rituals, national parks, tourism, and the cultural rhythms of the American West infuse the work with layered meaning. Together, the pieces form an abstract atlas—documenting her travels and the deeper stories embedded in what others leave behind.

Atlas: Western Anthology, represents a significant expansion of Miller’s vision. The Project Space Grant provided the time and resources needed for extensive travel, object collection, studio experimentation, and the development of a cohesive new body of work. The grant opened a new direction in her practice—one she hopes to extend by eventually collecting materials from all 48 contiguous states.

Anita Sue Kolman, Kolman & Reeb Gallery founder and co-partner, says, “Resources from her Project Space Grant provided Liz a chance to take this unique idea further. It gave her time to travel, collect artifacts so often overlooked, and fully immerse herself in transforming them. Jodi and I are so proud to support local artists whose vision is rooted here in Minnesota and yet explores a much broader stage.”

Gallery curator and co-partner, Jodi Reeb, added, “What excites me about Liz’s work is how deeply it begins out in the world - pulling over on random roadsides, climbing into ditches, or sifting through old thrift-store shelves, always chasing that thrill of discovering an object with a story. Seeing how she transforms these finds through slow, intentional weaving - turning discarded fragments into beautifully layered abstractions - is incredible. She honors where each piece came from while revealing the beauty hiding inside everyday materials.”

Liz Miller has received a McKnight Foundation Fellowship for Fiber Artists, a McKnight Foundation Fellowship for Visual Artists, a Joan Mitchell Foundation Painters & Sculptors Grant, and multiple Minnesota State Arts Board awards. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and she has held residencies at Mass MoCA, Stove Works, the Joan Mitchell Center, and the McColl Center for Art + Innovation. Miller is Professor of Installation Art and Drawing at Minnesota State University–Mankato and lives in Good Thunder, Minnesota.

For a preview of the show, please contact Anita Sue Kolman at anita@kolmanreebgallery.com or 612-385-4239. Kolman & Reeb Gallery is located in Studio 395 of the Northrup King Building, 1500 Jackson Street NE.