Lisa Mitchell
Painting the Texture and Character of the Landscape
Lisa Mitchell paints with oils and pastels. She occasionally uses gouache or acrylics to under-paint her pastel pieces. Lisa creates representational paintings, primarily Maryland landscapes, but she does travel to other scenic locations to explore different painting subjects. Her purpose in painting the landscape is to pay homage to the beautiful effect of light on the environment that is sometimes subtle and quiet and other times powerful and brilliant. She hopes those that view her work will slow down a bit and spend time imagining themselves in such a place or perhaps become reacquainted with a familiar setting
Lisa finds her inspiration by painting on location. Anything outdoors is fair game because it’s the beauty of the design, flow, texture, and play of light she’s after in her work. Her paintings are sometimes completed outdoors but not always. She places the emphasis of this outdoor painting discipline to study the effect of light on a subject. More in-depth work is accomplished in her home studio. Lisa believes that these two types of intertwined painting experiences allow her to create a believable and truthful artistic impression of a scene.
Lisa Mitchell received her formal art education at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, concentrating her studies in Illustration and Graphic Design. She was employed as an Illustrator at the Comp Factory in Baltimore, creating storyboards and comp illustrations for several leading advertising agencies in the Mid-Atlantic area. When her first child was born, she made a career change and began a 20-year business as a children’s portrait artist. Later, Lisa joined several local art groups and began painting outdoors. This interaction with like-minded artists and on the spot painting initiated a new focus, her love of painting landscapes. Lisa has studied with many wonderful nationally known oil and pastel instructors over the years. The information they shared about painting and how to think like an artist is invaluable. Lisa has participated in many plein air events such as Plein Air Easton, Paint Annapolis, Wayne Plein Air, Plein Air Richmond, East Beach Plein Air Escape, The Olmsted Plein Air, Queen City Plein Air, and The Lighthouse Plein air, to name a few. Lisa’s art is available at the HorseSpirit Arts Gallery in Savage, Maryland.
Lisa has two wonderful adult children, an amazing daughter-in-law, and she lives with her husband in Sparks, Maryland. She is surrounded by the Gunpowder River, farmland, and acres and acres of wildflower meadows, a constant source of inspiration!
Affiliations: The Washington Society of Landscape Painters / The Maryland Society of Portrait Painters / The Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association / Oil Painters of America / American Impressionist Society / The Maryland Pastel Society, (Past President)
Teaching: In-Home Studio, 2009-2011 / Zoll Studio School of Fine Art, 2011- 2021, (plein air instructor)
