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. 

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In 2005, Mitchell won Best of Show award at the Laguna Plein Air Invitational, and in 2011 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.