Keith Mills creates digital art that feels remarkably tactile, using dense fields of marks to build up complex, textured surfaces. In his piece “The Very First Day”, I am struck by how the overlapping blotches of red, orange, and purple create a sense of movement without needing to depict a specific object. The irregular shapes and varied sizes of these marks give the work a physical quality, almost as if the digital canvas has been layered with physical paint. It is a colourful approach to Contemporary abstraction that relies on the sheer density of the marks to hold the viewer’s attention.
“The Very First Day” Keith Mills
This same energy carries over into “Above The Tree Canopy”, where the artist uses speckles of green, yellow, and pink to fill the entire surface. While the title suggests a view from high up, the image itself remains a collection of irregular patches with varying levels of density. I find that the use of electric blue and magenta across these works provides a consistent, vibrant palette that ties the different textures together. The way the colours bleed into one another creates a grainy appearance that is especially noticeable in “The Soft And The Static”.
“Above The Tree Canopy” Keith Mills
In “The Soft And The Static”, the artist moves away from the sharp marks of his other pieces to explore blurred patches of white and violet. These overlapping shapes suggest the forms of grass or plants, though they remain firmly within the realm of Contemporary abstract art. The dark grey tones provide a heavy contrast to the lighter purple areas, adding a sense of depth to the grainy surface. It is interesting to see how Mills can shift from the frantic energy of a dense field of marks to something that feels more subdued and atmospheric.
“The Soft And The Static” Keith Mills
“Lens” offers a different structure, focusing on a series of concentric circles rather than a field of scattered marks. The rings of blue, dark grey, and red surround a white centre, but they maintain the irregular, textured edges that define the style of Keith Mills. Even when working with a symbolic subject like a circle, the artist ensures the edges feel hand-drawn and textured rather than perfectly smooth. This piece uses a carmine and electric blue palette to create a focal point that stands out from his more distributed compositions.
“Lens” Keith Mills