Mike Miller
1939 – 2014
Known as “The Fastest Artist in the West,” Mike Miller was an award winning artist who passed away in 2014. His talent was was recognized throughout the United States, from Hollywood to Washington, DC, as a gallery artist, sculptor, author, illustrator, and graphic artist. Born in California, his creative career took him to Las Vegas, Southern California and to his beloved Panguitch Lake, Utah where he fished for trout annually.
His career began at Disney Studios in Burbank (1957-59) where he worked on Sleeping Beauty and 101 Dalmations and then worked as a scenic artist for NBC and MGM Studios. He moved his family to Las Vegas in the early 1960s where he worked on set design and painting for Las Vegas showrooms, and soon became established as an ad agency owner, creative director and illustrator.
Mike created many of the logos, advertising and collateral materials for hotels, Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, Las Vegas News Bureau, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau, theme parks, and individual headliners on the Las Vegas Strip.
Miller was also the original creator in the 1970s of the UNLV “Hey Reb” mascot character which was just recently retired.
He was on hand at the commissioning ceremony of The USS Nevada Navy Ship—representing the Silver State as the creator of the ship’s logo and commissioning historical documents.
He also authored and illustrated two books for Las Vegas’ then Mayor Oscar Goodman which celebrated OG’s years as a mob attorney-turned-Mayor, who loved his martinis. Mike later wrote and illustrated 7 sold-out children’s books in the early 2000s, featuring Tomas The Tortoise’s adventures in an around the Las Vegas community (at Lake Mead, Red Rock National Park, Nevada Ghost Towns, etc). One of these books, “A Play in the Clouds,” won a National Award and was featured in a National Book Show in Washington D.C. It now appears in the Library of Congress.
A large portion of his 1960-1980 entertainment portfolio was donated to the UNLV Library, at which there is now a Mike Miller Collection available for viewing by appointment in their Special Collections Library.
While most of his artwork now hangs in private collections across the country, there are limited pieces of original art, quick draw creations, prints, and books available for purchase. Contact Shelly Miller Harris for more information.
Filmed in 2013, Miller demonstrates how he can create a painting in 30 minutes! There is a 4-minute version and a 14-minute version. The 4 minute version is depicted above.
