A Place to Hide: Paintings by Mills Brown

15/09/2023

A Place to Hide: Paintings by Mills Brown

An art exhibition that celebrates the profound connection between humanity and the solace found in the embrace of nature.

Mills Brown invites you to embark on a visual journey that explores themes of refuge, rediscovery, and the preservation of precious memories.

Within this collection of paintings, viewers will encounter a rich tapestry of dreamlike and nostalgic moments. A young girl proudly presents a glittering snakeskin discovered amidst the overgrowth, embodying the thrill of nature's hidden treasures. A woman burrows into the earth, seeking solace and safety in her surroundings. Light dances gracefully with water, unveiling a secret swimming spot, a haven concealed by nature's verdant cloak. Ornamental patterns provide a vessel for these moments to exist within, guiding viewers into a world where reality and dreams converge.

A Place to Hide, Mills Brown

Central to these artworks are the feminine figures that gracefully inhabit their landscapes. These women find a sense of wholeness in their natural surroundings, and in doing so, they uncover fragments of themselves that may have been lost or forgotten.

As autumn arrives, bringing shorter days and cooler temperatures, Mills Brown reflects on the light-filled days of summer as precious reserves. These cherished memories of wild swimming, collecting stones, and late nights in the garden become the emotional sustenance needed to endure the darker half of the year. "A Place to Hide" beautifully illustrates the gathering of these warm moments, portraying them as a preparation for the profound retreat of winter.

Love List, Mills Brown

The heart of Mills Brown's studio practice is deeply rooted in her childhood experiences in the American South. It was during this formative time that she discovered a profound connection to the land, sparking a lifelong fascination with nature's mysteries. The artist fondly recalls pretending to be a witch in the woods, where strands of Spanish moss transformed into wild, curly hair. A simple river became an enchanted pool of sweet tea for leisurely swims. A cavern created by a fallen oak offered refuge, evoking a sense of protection and solitude akin to a hermit crab within its shell. Family stories and tall tales painted a vivid backdrop of mystery, with childhood fantasies merging seamlessly with the family's rich history, creating an enduring archive of enchantment.

Today, Mills Brown's paintings serve as a mesmerizing echo of her childhood, a portal back to a time when magic and reality intertwined seamlessly. "A Place to Hide" is an invitation to revisit that magical place and rediscover the enchantment that resides within our connection to the natural world.

Wild Swim, Mills Brown

A Place to Hide will be on display in the #WindowGalleries along Friars Entry in Oxford, OX1 2BZ from 15th September until the 2nd October, free and available to visit at any time. The #WindowGalleries are an innovative collaboration between community organisation Fusion Arts and The Randolph Hotel by Graduate Hotels that connects and supports Oxford’s communities by creating a lively space for the public to experience inspiring work by local artists.

What's on

Browse upcoming events, exhibitions, workshops and classes at Fusion Arts and in the wider community.

DEPOT 25
15 Park End Street 26.09.25

DEPOT 25

DEPOT 25
Fusion Focus 2025: Xeno-space
15 Park End Street 26.09.25

Fusion Focus 2025: Xeno-space

Fusion Focus 2025: Xeno-space
What’s Wrong With Us!?!
15 Park End Street 11.07.25

What’s Wrong With Us!?!

What’s Wrong With Us!?!
FRONTLINE, Ryan Hawaii
15 Park End Street 14.06.25

FRONTLINE, Ryan Hawaii

FRONTLINE, Ryan Hawaii
Community banner & placard making session
15 Park End Street 05.10.25

Community banner & placard making session

Community banner & placard making session
Women of Colour Creative Writing Session
15 Park End Street 03.10.25

Women of Colour Creative Writing Session

Women of Colour Creative Writing Session
Drop-in Zines and Poster Workshop with Julia Utreras (Common Press)
15 Park End Street 27.09.25

Drop-in Zines and Poster Workshop with Julia Utreras (Common Press)

Drop-in Zines and Poster Workshop with Julia Utreras (Common Press)
Unprecious Instrument Workshop with Rob Shuttleworth (Haddow)
15 Park End Street 26.09.25

Unprecious Instrument Workshop with Rob Shuttleworth (Haddow)

Unprecious Instrument Workshop with Rob Shuttleworth (Haddow)
Thomas Sankara "Dare to invent the future"
15 Park End Street 25.10.25

Thomas Sankara "Dare to invent the future"

Thomas Sankara "Dare to invent the future"
Xeno-space Closing Conversation
15 Park End Street 28.09.25

Xeno-space Closing Conversation

Xeno-space Closing Conversation
Performance & readings in Xeno-space
15 Park End Street 26.09.25

Performance & readings in Xeno-space

Performance & readings in Xeno-space
Pan-Afrikan Centaurians:  Celebrating the 100th birthdays of  Frantz Fanon and Patrice Lumumba
15 Park End Street 19.07.25

Pan-Afrikan Centaurians: Celebrating the 100th birthdays of Frantz Fanon and Patrice Lumumba

Pan-Afrikan Centaurians: Celebrating the 100th birthdays of Frantz Fanon and Patrice Lumumba

Supporters of Fusion Arts

Oxford City Council Arts Council England National Lottery Funded Project Grant National Lottery Community Fund Oxfordshire Community Foundation Here for Culture Doris Field Charitable Trust BBC Children in Need Levelling Up South Oxfordshire District Council Christ Church College Jesus College