Austin “Auz” Miles
Austin “Auz” Miles grew up in Durham, North Carolina. As a young girl, Austin was inspired by distorted figures and the stories paintings could tell about African-American culture. Realizing her yearning to create at a young age, Austin began attending Durham School of the Arts at the age of eleven. Upon graduation, Austin relocated to Richmond, Virginia in 2012 to attend Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts (VCU); majoring in Communication Arts, and minoring in Painting & Printmaking. During her time at VCU, Austin decided that she was capable of pursuing a professional career in painting. In fall 2015, Austin launched Auz Can on her social media. Auz Can is a self motivating campaign that encourages people to believe in themselves and to follow one’s dreams. Shortly following the launch of Auz Can, Austin had her first solo exhibition in February 2016, titled AUZ. Since then, Austin “Auz” Miles has shown her work in Richmond VA, Washington D.C, Atlanta GA, and Cusco Peru. In Fall 2017, Austin Miles won the Amendment Art and Literary Journal Art Award, where her painting ‘Enough’ was published in the Amendment Art and Literary Journal December issue. Austin Miles graduated from VCU Arts with her Bachelors of Fine Arts in December 2017.
Austin “Auz” Miles was first introduced to murals in the Spring of 2017, while collaborating to create Richmond’s first mural created by and specifically for black girls. It was then she realized the positive impact, importance, and representation that murals can provide for a community. In October 2018, Austin was chosen along with nine other muralists to participate in the Virginia Museum of History and Culture first mural exhibit, titled Fresh Paint. The Fresh Paint exhibit is currently on display until April 21, 2019. Austin is a practicing painter, graphic designer, and muralist in Richmond, VA. Austin uses color, texture, and distorted human and animal figures in her work, to embody her own stories; in an attempt to contribute to the conversation about Black female experiences.