Donna Mitchell is an artist of traditional realistic style whose passions for life are vividly portrayed in her colorful paintings. She chooses to model her inspirations in the pastel medium due to its rich color intensity and wonderful versatility. Donna is best known as a commissioned portrait artist of people and animals, and also enjoys painting an occasional landscape and still life.
She began her artistic journey as a child, with a natural desire to draw. She is a native of West Virginia, where she worked to develop her artistic abilities through dedicated self-study. She studied the works of artists who have been influential and inspiring to her, such as John Singer-Sargent and Edgar Degas, as well as today’s Master Pastelist, Daniel E. Greene. After relocating to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in 1991 Donna began extensive studies in portraiture under the instruction of established portrait and figure painter, Karl Foster, while actively pursuing her art profession. Today she works as a commissioned portrait artist, working from her home studio, and instructs pastel painting at the Art Center School & Galleries in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.
Attracted to portraiture since her early years, Donna enjoys the ultimate challenge of capturing the likeness, the sense of personality, and the mood of her models. She appreciates the interesting challenges that portraits present. When choosing a landscape or still life, she looks for subjects having meaning and appeal to her. “Painting is my expression of feeling and what is important to me,” says the artist. “I feel the emotion in the eyes coming from the soul, the texture of the fur of a pet, the warm sunlight falling on a face or coming through the trees.” It has been said that one can truly tell what she best loves to paint!
Donna is a member of the Portrait Society of America; The Pastel Society of America, Art Center School & Galleries, Mechanicsburg, PA; Perry County Council of the Arts, Newport, PA; Harrisburg Art Association, Harrisburg, PA; Carlisle Arts Learning Center, Carlisle, PA; and Valley Art Association, Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, and the Wednesday Morning Portrait Group, all of Hagerstown, MD. She has exhibited solo and participated in juried and group shows in Alabama, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. She is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including several “Best of Show” awards for her pastel portraits. Her paintings are in private collections throughout many of the Eastern states, California and Germany. For more information, contact Donna Mitchell at (717) 258-0459 or visit her website at www.DonnaMitchellPastels.com .
Nearly all of my works are created in the pastel medium. It is my desire to inform the public of this exciting, yet often misunderstood art form. Pastels are often confused with or even called “chalks”, which is quite unsuitable for fine art drawing or painting. The name “pastels” comes from the French word pastiche that describes how pure, powdered pigment is ground into paste with a small amount of gum binder and then rolled into sticks. Pastels were created in the 16th century and have been used as a painting medium since the 18th century by master artists such as Carriera, Degas, de la Tour, Cassatt, along with many others and are used today by many leading professional artists.
Unlike other painting mediums, pastels are held in my hand, applied and mixed directly on my painting surface, rather than on a palette. It starts out dry and remains dry. Layers of pigment are built, sometimes using my fingers to soften particular areas, but usually allowing the strokes of color to blend into each other, until I have attained the painterly effect I desire.
Since the pastels are a dry medium, they must be properly framed and protected under glass. I custom frame all of my works of art myself, using the finest conservation materials, free of any acids that would damage the artwork over a period of time. Once framed, the paintings will essentially be unchanged for centuries to come.
I love painting that which is closest to our human hearts – people and pets! I seek to convey the personality with expression or attitude, or perhaps to communicate a certain mood or emotion. Of course, how could I neglect the beauty of a landscape or even the simplistic attraction of a still life. Our Creator has made all things beautiful and worthy of our attention.
I hope you enjoy my paintings! If you wish to look at additional portraits of people or pets, please visit my website at www.DonnaMitchellPastels.com. Portrait commissions are welcome!
DONNA MITCHELL 1210 Stratford Drive
www.DonnaMitchellPastels.com Carlisle, PA 17013
717-258-0459
DonnakArt@aol.com
Donna Mitchell spent many years of dedicated self study in her native state of West Virginia before relocating with her husband to Carlisle, Pennsylvania in 1989. In 1991 she actively pursued an art profession. She chooses to model her inspirations in the pastel medium, due to its rich color intensity and versatility, creating works of art in the realist tradition. Although many diverse subjects have been among her collection of works, she specializes in commissioned portraits of adults and children, as well as pet portraits. She is an instructor of pastel painting at the Art Center School & Galleries of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania and works from her home studio.
EDUCATION
Daniel Greene Workshop, North Salem, New York, 2009
Art Center School & Galleries, Mechanicsburg, PA, 1991 through 1999
Course, Watercolor Painting, Barbara Buer
Course, Free Spirit Watercolor, Jeanne Hartman
Continuous Courses, Portrait Drawing & Painting, Karl Foster
Course, Beginner Watercolor, Clyde Roberts, Hagerstown, MD, 1982
Course, Oil Painting, Martinsburg, WV, 1968
Course, Drawing, Martinsburg, WV, 1966
GALLERY REPRESENTATION
Art and Soul Gallery, 900 Market Street, Lemoyne, PA
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY
Instructor, “Pastel Painting”, Art Center School & Galleries, Mechanicsburg, PA, 1999 – Present
Instructor, “About Face: A Portrait Drawing Tutorial” Workshop, Newport, PA 2009
Instructor, “Comparative Pastel Painting” Workshop, Art Center School & Galleries, Mechanicsburg, PA
Instructor, “Beginner Pastel” Workshops, Art Center School & Galleries, Mechanicsburg, PA
Instructor, “Paint Your Pet” Workshops, Art Center School & Galleries, Mechanicsburg, PA
Demonstration, Carlisle Art Association, Carlisle, PA
Demonstrations, Valley Art Association, Hagerstown, MD
Demonstrations, Franklin County Art Alliance, Chambersburg, PA
MEMBERSHIPS
Pastel Society of America
Portrait Society of America
Art Center School & Galleries, Mechanicsburg, PA
Perry County Council of the Arts, Newport, PA
Harrisburg Art Association, Harrisburg, PA
Carlisle Arts Learning Center, Carlisle, PA
Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, Hagerstown, MD
Valley Art Association, Hagerstown, MD
Wednesday Morning Portrait Group, Hagerstown, MD
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
Washington County Hospital, Solo, Hagerstown, MD November 2009
Mansion House, Solo, Hagerstown, MD, 2008
YWCA, Solo, Carlisle, PA, 2007, 2004, 1997, 1995
1st Annual Pet Extravaganza, Carlisle Army War College, Carlisle, PA 2006
A Palette of Artists, Cathy Mabius Studio & Gallery, Rt.15 Byway of the Arts, 2006
Art Center School & Galleries Regional Juried Exhibition, Mechanicsburg, PA 2006
Washington County Hospital, Solo, Hagerstown, MD 2005
Artist of the Month, Perry County Council of the Arts, Newport, PA 2004
33rd Annual Art Exhibition, Franklin County Art Alliance, Chambersburg, PA, 2004
Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg, Solo, Mechanicsburg, PA 2004
WITF Gallery 33 Auction, Public Television, Harrisburg, PA, 2003, 1996-1999
January Society of Arts & Crafts Competition, Sac’s Gallery, Montgomery, AL, 2002
69th Annual Cumberland Valley Artists Exhibition, Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, Hagerstown, MD, Juried, 2001
Valley Art Association Member Exhibit, Washington County Museum of Fine Art, Hagerstown, MD,
Juried, 1999
Art Center School & Galleries Annual Adult Student Exhibit, Mechanicsburg, PA, 1969-1999
Evans Run 23rd Annual Regional Art Exhibition, Martinsburg, WV, Juried, 1998
York Art Association Open Juried Exhibition, York, PA, 1996 & 1998
66th Annual Cumberland Valley Artists Exhibition, Washington County Museum of Fine Art,
Hagerstown, MD, Juried, 1998
Allenberry Playhouse, Solo, Boiling Springs, PA 1996
AWARDS & HONORS
“Honorable Mention Award”, A Red Hot! Exhibit, Art Center School & Galleries, Mechanicsburg, PA 2011
“Second Place Award” Best of the Best Member Exhibit, Mansion House, Hagerstown, MD, 2008
“Instructor of the Year Award” Art Center School & Galleries, Mechanicsburg, PA 2004
“Honorable Mentions” (2) January Society of Arts & Crafts Competition, Sac’s Gallery, Montgomery, AL 2002
“Honorable Mention” Evans Run Art Association 25th Annual Arts Competition, Martinsburg, WV 2000
“Best of Show” Valley Art Association, Hagerstown, MD 1999
“House of Frames Discretionary Award” 24th Annual Exhibit of Shenandoah Valley Artists, Evans Run
Art Association, Martinsburg, WV 1999
“House of Frames Discretionary Award” 23rd Annual Exhibit of Shenandoah Valley Artists, Evans Run
Art Association, Martinsburg, WV 1998
“Second Place Award” Art Center School & Galleries Annual Adult Student Exhibit, Mechanicsburg, PA, 1998
“First Place Mixed Media” Art Center School & Galleries Member Exhibit, Mechanicsburg, PA 1997
“Best of Show” 22nd Annual Exhibit of Shenandoah Valley Artists, Evan Run Art Association, Martinsburg,
WV 1997
“Second Place Pastel” Art Center School & Galleries Member Exhibit, Mechanicsburg, PA 1997
“Best of Show” Valley Art Association Member Exhibit, Washington County Museum of Fine Arts,
Hagerstown, MD 1997
“Best of Show” Valley Art Association Annual Porch Exhibit, Hagerstown, MD 1996
“Honorable Mention” Art Center School & Galleries Adult Student Exhibit, Mechanicsburg, WV 1996
Front Page Article, “N. Middleton Woman Finds Joy in Pet Portraits”, Carlisle Patriot-News, by Joe Elias,
February 1-7, 2005
Article, “Donna Mitchell: The Bold Beauty of Pastels” by Tony Oliver, the Arts Quarter, Perry County Council of
the Arts, Winter 2004
Article, “Artist’s Way” by Lisa Montgomery, The Martinsburg Journal, WV, September 30, 2004
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