Humility is a virtue not always associated with artists, who are more often perceived to be independent freespirits rebelling against previous generations. Eleanor Milne, however, is an artist who has approached her artistic learning through humility, remaining open to the teachings and knowledge of others.
From her earliest art school training, where she sought out the wisdom and experience of her professors, to her current diverse interests, Milne has approached all artistic and spiritual practices with an open mind and a view to equality. While many students of art desire to go on their own without heeding the advice of others, Milne has always carefully observed before casting judgment. This approach has served her in good stead throughout the course of her career as an artist. Milne's artistic production has always benefited from her humility and her ability to savour the experiences of life.
In her position as Canada's Dominion Sculptor, Milne realized her artistic responsibilities toward the public. The work she created had to communicate to all members of the public, not just an artistic elite. Milne observes that there is "no room for personal ego as an artist because public art is designed for the youngest person, the least educated, and the most sophisticated" (personal interview, 19 Nov. 1998). Rather than creating art that provided a release of her personal visions, Milne was obliged to combine her own ideals with the reality of telling stories from Canada's history.
In contrast to common misperceptions about the self-focused artist, Milne's openness about acknowledging the work of her assistants indicates her understanding that art is not produced in a vacuum, but is generated from community, and reaches out to the world as a whole.
Milne explains how arrogance and lack of humility led to Lucifer's downfall. Her painting shows his angelic being coming apart. All his beauty is splashing out, his energy disintegrating, as he loses his feathery radiance and changes into a kind of serpenty dragon.
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