Clark Mitchell
Born In Denver, Colorado - January 19,
1951
Growing up in the shadow of the Rockies, Clark Mitchell very early
discovered a love of the natural world. Given a set of fine old German
pastels by his father when quite young, he quickly embraced the medium
for its ease of handling, brilliance of color and portability.
He received a bachelor’s degree in art from Colorado College in the
seventies and moved to San Francisco to continue his studies at the
Academy of Art College. Through personal exploration as well as study
with artists Albert Handell, Skip Whitcomb, Michael Lynch and Bill Hook,
Mitchell has developed the talent to create both tightly rendered scenes
as well as looser, more abstract suggestions.
In order to fully immerse
himself in the countryside he loved to portray, Mitchell left San
Francisco with his partner over thirty years ago and moved north to the
beautiful Sonoma County wine country. Painting expeditions throughout
the state as well as across the country continue to provide challenge as
well as inspiration.
Mitchell has been designated a Master Pastelist by the Pastel Society of
America and a Distinguished Pastelist by the Pastel Society of the West
Coast. He has received numerous awards in local as well as national
competitions and has works included in collections internationally. In
2005, Mitchell won Best of Show award at the Laguna Plein Air
Invitational; and in 2011, likewise won Best of Show in the Maui Plein
Air Painting Invitational. He was the cover artist for American
Artist’’s March 1993 issue. He was chosen as poster artist for the
Sedona Plein Air Festival for 2008. In 2009, his painting was on the
cover of Southwest Art’s annual landscape issue. In 2011, Mitchell’s
painting was on the cover of The Pastel Journal’s June issue.
Glance at
the sun.
See the
moon and the stars.
gaze at
the beauty of the earth's greenings.
Now,
think.
—Hildegard von Bingen
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