About
The artist behind the work.
MILLA FARRINGTON
Studio Art Major Hollins University
Minors: Creative Writing & Art History
Creativity becomes most powerful when imagination meets intention.
A Practice Shaped by Observation, Imagination, and Inquiry
I’m Milla Farrington, an emerging studio artist and interdisciplinary creative pursuing a B.A. in Studio Art at Hollins University, with minors in Creative Writing and Art History. My practice moves between making, writing, researching, and designing, with each discipline offering a different way to explore ideas, interpret experiences, and communicate meaning.
Much like a magpie drawn to interesting little treasures, I gather inspiration from the world around me, finding connections between painting, drawing, photography, graphic design, writing, and visual research. I’m particularly interested in nature, memory, identity, and the stories that shape how we understand ourselves and one another. Whether I’m photographing a foggy landscape, studying an artwork, developing a written piece, or creating a visual design, I’m drawn to overlooked details and the possibilities they hold. Through observation, experimentation, and inquiry, I explore the relationships between visual experience, storytelling, and interpretation.
Beyond my individual practice, I value cultural exchange, public engagement, and creativity as a means of bringing people together. Through volunteering at the Hollins University Free Store and exploring the intersections of art, history, and communication, I continue to consider how creative work can preserve experiences, reflect communities, and introduce us to different perspectives.
This portfolio brings together selected works, research, and reflections from my developing practice—a record of what I make, what I investigate, and what I continue to discover.
Education
Hollins University
B.A. in Studio Art Expected May 2028
Minors in Creative Writing and Art History
I’m currently pursuing my Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art at Hollins University, where I’m exploring the many ways art, writing, and visual storytelling intersect. Alongside my studio practice, my minors in Creative Writing and Art History allow me to study both the creation of art and the stories, histories, and ideas that shape how we understand it.
Outside the classroom, I volunteer at the HU Free Store, contributing to a campus resource that encourages sharing and community care. My time at Hollins continues to shape how I approach creativity, research, and communication, both as an artist and as a writer.
Academic Recognition
- Academic Transfer Scholarship Recipient Spring and Fall 2026
- Dean’s List Spring 2026
Virginia Western Community College
Associate’s Degree December 2025
General Studies · Visual Arts and Design Coursework
Before transferring to Hollins University, I attended Virginia Western Community College, where I built a strong foundation in the arts and completed my associate’s degree. My time at VWCC helped me explore different creative mediums, develop my visual design skills, and discover how I wanted to continue my education.
Through my coursework in two-dimensional and three-dimensional visual design, I gained experience thinking creatively, experimenting with materials, and communicating ideas visually. VWCC was an important part of my journey as an artist, giving me the foundation to continue growing at Hollins.
Artist Statement
A practice of observation, imagination, and discovery
My creative practice begins with curiosity: a desire to look closer, make connections, and discover meaning in things that might otherwise go unnoticed. Working across painting, drawing, photography, mixed media, graphic design, and writing, I explore the space between observation and imagination, between what exists before me and what I envision beyond it.
I am drawn to nature, memory, identity, and storytelling, particularly the ways our surroundings and experiences shape how we understand the world. Sometimes an idea emerges from a landscape, a fleeting detail, or the study of another artist's work. Other times, it develops through experimentation, uncertainty, and the gradual discovery of what a piece might become.
I don't always begin with a clear destination. My process often involves searching, revising, and allowing unexpected connections to influence the work. Across mediums, I am interested in how images, materials, and stories can communicate what is difficult to articulate directly, inviting viewers to pause, reconsider, and find meanings of their own.
My Creative Practice
My work moves between visual and written expression, encompassing art and design, photography, poetry, artistic fiction, creative nonfiction, and research. Rather than confining myself to a single medium, I enjoy exploring how each discipline offers its own way of communicating ideas, interpreting the world, and telling stories.
I am drawn to the imaginative, the symbolic, and the intricacies of human perception. Whether I am developing a visual composition, writing a poem, researching an artistic concept, or building an original fictional universe, I approach my work with curiosity and a desire to explore the possibilities of creative expression.
Projects & Interests
One of my ongoing creative endeavors is The Malzoria Project: The Rise of the Malevolent Dawn, an original fantasy worldbuilding project that brings together writing, art, design, research, and storytelling.
Alongside this project, my portfolio encompasses a variety of creative works, including visual art, photography, poetry, fiction, and academic research. Each reflects a different facet of my interests and the evolving nature of my creative practice.
An Ongoing Journey
As a student and developing creative, I see my portfolio as a growing collection of ideas, experiments, and projects that reflect both what I have learned and what I continue to discover.
I invite you to explore my work, discover the projects that interest you, and follow along as I continue to learn, create, and develop my creative practice.