Deborah Mitchell

I have been a printmaker for most of my artistic life. Although I have an MFA in Printmaking I identify more as an adventurous and expressive artist who is not bound by the strictures of a specific media.
In the past I created monotypes on location where my focus was on the quality of light in the environment. These images were monochromatic and almost photographic in the way they interpreted the world around me. Over time I became more studio- bound creating monotypes based upon my garden, travel, and eventually my imagination. I enjoy playing with bold color, the repetition of surface design, and patterns found in nature. My approach is to apply multiple layers in my prints there by creating pentimento and chance.
I usually approach my studio practice with the idea of “What if?” Within that query I’m inspired by the tone of the day, the essence of a foreign country, or the remnants of ancient cultures. The Black Hills, my garden, and the events of my life inform my practice.
Until recently my largest struggle was to bring myself out of stasis after an arsonist destroyed my studio. I was fortunate to be a recipient of the 2024 South Dakota Arts Council Fellowship.The exhibition Flower and Flame toured the state of South Dakota and was shown at Black Hills State Univeristy, Spearfish, The Dahl Art Canter in Rapid City, and at the Eide Dalyrymple Gallery on the campus of Augustana University in Sioux Falls, SD.