Born in New Philadelphia, Ohio in 1912, he died on December 25, 2004 of pancreatic cancer.  Miller studied at the Cleveland Institute of Art, later lived and worked in New York City.  There he became known as the "figure sculptor of SoHo," when he switched from abstract sculpture to exploring the human figure in his art.  He worked with live models in wax and clay and had them cast in bronze.  The resulting figures, still or shown in motion, could measure from a few inches to more than eight feet tall. 

In cooperation with his wife, he wrote Figure Sculpture in Wax and Plaster (1987) and other books on his art.  Miller taught sculpture at Queens College, City University of New York, from 1967 to 1992.  He was president of the National Academy of Design from 1989 to 1992 and of the National Sculpture Society from 1997 to 2000.


Sources:
Pier, Gwen "Richard McDermott Miller", Sculpture Review, Spring 2005
Obituary, New York Times, January 8, 2005
Gwen Samelson of the Cavanaugh Foundation

Works by Richard McDermott Miller