Creating is my constant, it’s how I navigate life, making my work autobiographical and cyclical in its nature. My process is sensual and investigative, guided by my interactions and intuition; I collect, journal and translate my journey through a number of creative outlets.
Predominantly my paintings evolve from photoshoots in which I fabricate imagined worlds through location, performance, body art and hand-crafted costumes, there’s a theatrical and ethereal element that runs throughout my work.
Emerging through a transformative and reflective process, my large-scale figurative works explore the embodied encounter through the self, the other and the space between; delving into the psyche in all its varied and contrasting manifestations; sensual, powerful, vulnerable, devastating and glorious.
Focusing on themes of identification, archetypes, self-expression and discovery, my inspiration stems from an array of sources including fiction, travel, nature and spirituality. Alongside my practice I teach the symbolic language of astrology, this closely feeds into my work combining interests in myth, relationship and cycles, informing a personal philosophy, rooted through a deeply observational and relational lens.
BIOGRAPHY
Millie Gleeson is a visual artist based in SW England. Since graduating from the University of the West of England in 2010 her focus has primarily been painting large-scale female portraits, which incorporate her background in film, festival and fashion.
Taking inspiration from people, places and experiences has directed Millie to develop projects at Artist residencies around the globe. Embarking on a series of work in each destination: ‘Time Will Tell’, Takt, Berlin; ‘All we’ll know’, Arquetopia, Mexico; ‘Self, other and the space between, Arquetopia, Peru; ‘Perceptions’ GlogauAir, Berlin; ‘Projections’, Tuo Tuo and Haihatus, Finland.
Alongside her artistic endeavours Millie is a practicing astrologer, who teaches this divinatory language through an archetypal lens to intimate groups. Her project ‘Living Lines’ manifested from a year-long conversation with the planet Mercury, which she developed during her Fine art master’s at Falmouth University in 2026. This immersive drawing installation culminated in a live drawing performance, where the audience caught glimpses of emerging lines from outside of the structure.
As the first chapter of a 12-year cycle, Millie intends to work with her profected planet during each successive year. Using this ancient Hellenistic timing technique, she aims to take chapters to different spaces until 2037.
‘Living Lines’ was exhibited at Rose Hill Gardens as part of the ‘Dalla’ graduation show at Falmouth. Recent exhibitions include Mall galleries SWA, RBSA portrait prize and Bankside galleries RWS; she won the portrait prize at the BSA annual open in 2021 and the Evolver front cover prize at the RWA 167 annual open.