ACADIA PARISH — For Sandy Miller, creating art has never been a decision — it has always been a necessity.
“As far back as I can remember, I just had the need to create,” Miller said. “It wasn’t — it wasn’t even something that I second guessed or thought about very much.”
That lifelong pull toward creativity is visible throughout her home in Iota, where walls and surfaces are filled with her illustrations, paintings and brightly colored designs — many of them influenced by Mardi Gras culture. Art surrounds her daily life, not as decoration, but as an extension of who she is.
“I remember as a child watching cartoons on TV, and it wasn’t the cartoons that I was interested in,” Miller said. “It was the way that the art — how they drew them to move.”
Although Miller was raised in Rayne, it wasn’t until she moved to Iota that she was fully exposed to the traditions of prairie Mardi Gras. The experience left a lasting impression and became a major source of inspiration in her work.
“ I had never seen the tradition, like the old traditional prairie Mardi Gras,” she said. “And the first time I did, I was like, wow. The colors — that’s what caught me. The costumes, the colors.”
Those vibrant traditions eventually led Miller to begin entering art contests for the Tee Mamou-Iota Mardi Gras Festival — a step she says helped open the door to sharing her work with a wider audience.
Miller now teaches weekly art lessons, working closely with others who are exploring their own creativity. For her, the process of making art — and teaching it — goes far beyond technique.
“This is a gift, and so my favorite thing is working with people,” she said.
That connection, she says, is the same feeling that keeps her drawn to Mardi Gras year after year.
“I think it’s the culture, the community, the togetherness,” Miller said.
Through her art and her teaching, Miller has seen firsthand how creativity can impact people on a deeper level.
“From what I’ve seen by working with people… it’s very healing.”
Sandy says she plans to continue sharing her gifts with the world.
