When you see Vonda Miller’s yarn art on canvas, you have to take a second look to realize these lovely pieces are actually woven from yarn. Her signature technique intertwines colorful strands into all sorts of scenes. She has been doing this art on canvas for two years. Vonda has been a business administrator for ten years, and now works at KC Care as a Provider Scheduling Manager, overseeing the schedules of 20 providers.
“At age 47, I decided to go to college at the urging of my three sons, and I now have an associate degree in business administration, a bachelor’s in business management and a master’s in business administration, which I completed in November of 2021,” she explained. “I gave myself a personal challenge to complete my MBA with a 4.0 and I did! When I was done, I had a lot of free time and wanted to find a crafty hobby. I knew I wanted to do something with yarn but wanted it to be different from anything anyone else has created. I searched online and found yarn art, but nothing grabbed me. So, I decided to come up with my own technique - yarn art on canvas!”
Vonda learned to crochet at seven and began again to crochet facemasks during COVID. After creating random yarn art on canvas pieces, she soon learned to accomplish a specific texture or 3D look, then transformed part of her basement into an art studio.
She sells her art through Facebook, Instagram under ‘Vonda Miller Art’ and word of mouth. She has been featured at several locales, including three months at Lee’s Summit City Hall, Westport Art Fair, West Elm on the Plaza and the 18th and Vine Art Festival. She has also applied to sell her art at the Brookside Art Fair this May.
Vonda was recently named as one of the board of directors for Summit Art in Lee’s Summit, a 501c3 nonprofit organization supporting visual art and artists.
Vonda is a proud mother of a daughter and three sons, and grandmother of nine grandchildren. She is happily married to a man who encourages and fully supports her.
“My art is motivating for many reasons,” she confirmed. “I get excited about every piece I make. I love that people want my art in their homes, yet if no one ever bought another picture, I would still keep creating unique pieces. I will continue my journey of ‘Making Yarn Pretty.’”
Visit summitart.org/portfolio/vonda-miller to see some of her art.