René Miville

René Miville born in 1954 in Medford, Massachusetts.

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René was an innovator in the process of chemical manipulation using the classic darkroom printing process. Each work consists of silver-gelatin paper with the basic chemical elements of developer, stop and fixer applied: a pure photograph as we traditionally know one. However, René painted the chemistry upon the photo paper. He created a substantial body of work in the late 1980s and early 1990s. At the time of the dawn of digital photography, René's opposing aesthetic journey sparked a vigorous curiosity and interest among both museum curators and international collectors.

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The evolution of René's journey as an artist began with his original career as a fashion photographer and transformed into the unique artistic process that is presented in his works. It was around the time that he began his first endeavors as a businessman when he met his wife on the beaches in Captiva, and since then, his life has been devoted to caring for his family and the island that he so endearingly cherishes.

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The two pieces shown in the exhibit at The Franklin Shops were created in the downstairs apartment of his mother's guesthouse on Captiva, a room in which the floor was actually composed of the sand upon which the house was built. René has often used the sand in his artistic process, making the works truly a product of his environment.

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René's relationship with his home is expressed in his dedication to the Southwest Florida community, including the creation of the René Miville Gallery in downtown Fort Myers.