Dean Mitchell Biography
View Dean Mitchell's available paintings
Dean L. Mitchell was born 1957, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and reared in Quincy, Florida. He is a graduate of the Columbus College of Art & Design in Columbus, Ohio. Mitchell is well known for his figurative works, landscapes and still lifes. In addition to watercolors, he is accomplished in other mediums, including egg temperas, oils and pastels.
Mitchell has been featured in numerous publications, including the New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, American Artist, Artist Magazine, Fine Art International and Art News.
His art can be found in corporate and museum collections across the country, including: Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri; Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, Mississippi; Saint Louis Art Museum, Saint Louis, Missouri; Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, Missouri; Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, Missouri; Beach Museum of Art, Manhattan, Kansas; The Autry National Center, Los Angeles; The Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock, Arkansas; Gadsden Art Center Quincy, Florida; Canton Museum of Art, Canton, Ohio and the Library of Congress.
He has received the American Watercolor Society Gold Medal, Allied Artist of American Gold Medal in Watercolor and Oil, Thomas Moran Award from the Salmagundi Club in New York, Remington Professional League, and for three years in a row the Best in Show Award from the Mississippi Watercolor Society Grand National Competition. In 2004 and 2007, he received the Autry National Center Award for Watercolor at the Masters of the American West Fine Art Exhibition and sale. Mitchell is a member of several professional societies, including the American Watercolor Society and the National Watercolor Society.
Dean Mitchell Lecture "Inside the World I Paint" at 15th Annual Masters of the American West, Autry National Center, Los Angeles, CA
Dean Mitchell, Guadalupe Reservation Series 1, Watercolor, 20" x 30" Margery Soroka Memorial Award, American Watercolor Society 145th Annual Exhibtion, New York 2012
2017 Awards, Honors, and Exhibitons:
- 25th Anniversary Celebration, Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2016 Awards, Honors, and Exhibitions:
- "Dean Mitchell's American West: Poverty and the Human Spirit" Gadsden Arts Center, Quincy, Florida
2014 Awards, Honors, and Exhibitions:
- 1st Qingdao International Watercolor Salon Exhibition, Invitational, Qingdai Modern Art Museum, P. R. of China
- 1st Place, Pima-Maricopa Series, Kansas Watercolor Society National Exhibition
2013 Awards, Honors, and Exhibitions:
- Florida Watercolor Society 42nd Annual Exhibition “The Winslow Homer Award”
- Best in Show, 4th Annual Signature American Watercolor Exhibition, Fallbrook Art Center, CA
- Kentucky Watercolor Society 36th Annual National Exhibition “First Prize”
- American Artist Professional League 85th Grand National Exhibition “Winsor & Newton Award”
- American Watercolor Society 146th Annual Exhibition “Walser Greathouse Medal”
- Tallahassee Watercolor Society 25th Tri-State Juried Exhibition “Silver Award”
- Southern Watercolor Society 36th Annual Juried Exhibition “Best in Show”, Gadsen Art Center, FL
- Pikes Peak Watercolor Society International Watermedia 2013 “Legacy Best in Show Gold Award”, Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum.
- Mississippi Watercolor Society 28th Grand National Exhibition “Second Place”
- Keystone National 2013 Juried Exhibition of Works on Paper “Rose and Don Klaiber Memorial Award”
- Watercolor Missouri International 2013 “Award of Excellence”
- Watercolor Society of Alabama 72nd National Exhibition “Board of Directors Award”
- National Society of Painters in Casein & Acrylic 59th Annual Juried Exhibition “Jody and Elias Newman Memorial Award”
- 37th National Exhibition – Transparent Watercolor Society of America “John C. Dioszegi Memorial Award”
- Miniature Art Society of Florida 38th International Exhibition “3rd Transparent Watercolor”
- The 80th International Exhibition of Fine Art in Miniature The Miniature Painters, Sculptors & Gravers Society of Washington, D.C. “First Place Watermedia”
- Kansas Watercolor Society Best in Show “Nestor Weigand Jr. Patron Purchase Award”
- West Select – Phoenix Art Museum Invitational “Silver Award” Works on Paper
- Masters of the American West Autry National Center “Award for Watercolor”
2012 Awards, Honors, and Exhibitions:
- Solo Show, Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ
- Southern Living Magazine, studio photo shoot for a feature article in 2012 Summer issue.
- True West Extra magazine, March 2012, page 69.
- Award for Watercolor, 15th Annual Masters of the American West Fine Art Exhibition and Sale, Autry National Center, Los Angeles, CA
- Project using his New Orleans paintings as a virtual reality to culture window and history of the French Quarter through 3D design, University of Berkeley
- Margery Soroka Memorial Award, American Watercolor Society 145th Annual Exhibition, New York 2012
- Miniature Art Society of Florida 37th Annual International Exhibition “Judge’s Second Choice”
- Tallahassee Watercolor Society 2012 Brush Strokes Exhibition “Award of Excellence”
- Watercolor Society of Alabama 71st National Exhibition “Patron’s Fine Art Award”
- Kentucky Watercolor Society Aqueous USA 2012 “KWS Award” 2nd place
- Transparent Watercolor Society of America 36th Annual Exhibition “Donors Award”
- Southern Watercolor Society 35th Annual Exhibition “Donors Award”
- Adirondacks 2012 National Exhibition of American Watercolors “The W.B. Romeling Memorial Award”
- National Watercolor Society 92nd Annual Exhibition “Past President Award”
- 41st Annual Florida Watercolor Society Exhibition “Guy Beattie Award”
- Shanghai Zhujiajiao International Watercolor Biennial Exhibition “Award of Excellence
- Philadelphia Watercolor Society 112th Anniversary International Exhibition “Bellows Memorial Award”
- Tallahassee Watercolor Society 24th Tri-state “Silver Award”
- West Select “Gold Award for Best Work on Paper”, “Museum Purchase”, “Best in Show”
- Kansas Watercolor Society “Cash Award” and “Patrons Purchase Award”
- Miniature Art Society of Washington D.C. “First in Watercolor”
2011 Awards:
- Collector's Choice Award, American Art Invitational Small Gems show, Denver, CO
- Transparent Watercolor Society of America 35th National Exhibition - Members Award
- Florida Watercolor Society 40th Anniversary Exhibition - Winslow Homer Award
- Tallahassee Watercolor Society 23rd Tri-State Exhibition - Award of Excellence
- Adirondacks 30th Antional Exhibition of America Watercolors - Forest Runes Award
- Southern Watercolor Society 34th Annual Exhibition - Watercoor Society of Georgia Award
- Keystone National Juried Exhibition of Works on Paper - Best of Show
- 111th Anniversary International Exhibition Works on Paper - Delphine Poussot Award for Best Rendering of Light
- Kansas Watercolor Society National Exhibition - Best in Show
- Western Select - Silver Award for Work on Paper
- Masters of the American West - Autry National Center Award for Watercolor
- National Watercolor Society 91st Annual Exhibition - Alice Leonard Memorial Award
2010 Awards:
- Georgia Watercolor Society National Exhibition - 3rd Place
- Paint America 2009 - Grand Purchase Award Miniature Category
- Southern Watercolor Society 33rd Annual Exhibition "Bronze Award"
- American Watercolor Society 143rd Annual Exhibition NY, NY "Silver Medal"
- Tallahassee Watercolor Society 21st Tri-State Exhibition "Gold Award"
- The 29th Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors, "The Beechmont First & Gold Medallion"
- Florida Watercolor Society Non-members Show, "First Place"
- The American Artist Professional League 82nd Grand National Exhibition, "Winsor Newton Award"
- National Watercolor Society 90th Annual Exhibition, "The Past Presidents Award"
- Transparent Watercolor Society of America 34th Annual National Exhibition, "John Dioszegi Memorial Award"
- Salmagundi 33rd Annual Juried Painting & Sculpture Exhibition for Non-members"Dale Meyer's Medal Award for Watercolor"
- Florida Watercolor Society 39th Annual Exhibition, "Guy Beattie Award"
- Keystone National 2010 Exhibition of Works on Paper, "1st Place"
- Kansas Watercolor Society National Exhibition 2010, Nestor Weigand JR. Purchase Award"
2009 Awards:
- Southern Watercolor Society 32nd Annual "Best in Show"
- Tallahassee Watercolor Society 21st Tri-State Exhibition "Best in Show"
- Transparent Watercolor Society of America 33rd National Exhibition "John Singer Sargent Award"
- Salmagundi Club 32nd Annual Non-Members Exhibition "Forbes Magazine Award"
- Florida Watercolor Society 38th Annual Exhibition "Guy Beattie Award"
- California Watercolor Association 40th National Exhibition "CWA Signature Members Award III"
- Watercolor West 41st Annual Exhibition "M Graham Company Award"
- Miniature Painters, Sculptors/Gravers Society of Washington, D.C. 76th Annual International Exhibition"Second Place Portraiture"
- Allied Artists of America 96th Annual Exhibition "Dale Meyers Cooper Medal for Watercolor"
- Keystone National 2009 Juried Works on Paper Exhibition "Phantom Canyon Ranch and Col Arts Americas Award"
- American Artist Professional League 81st Grand National Exhibition NY, NY "Alma M Preede Memorial Award"
- Miniature Art Society of Florida 35th Annual International Exhibition "Second Place"
- Philadelphia Watercolor Society 109th Annual International Exhibition of Works on Paper"Newman Galleries Award for Excellence"
- Kansas Watercolor Society National Exhibition "Charles & Ruth Sanderson Memorial Award"
- Kentucky Watercolor Society Aqueous USA 2009 "Preston Art Center/St. Cutherts Mill/Silver Brush Limited Award"
2008 Awards:
- Missouri Watercolor Society National Exhibition "Award of Excellence"
- Seaside Art Gallery 17th International Miniature Art Show - Nags Head, N.C. "First Place"
- Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors 27th Annual "Sallie and Gannon Kashiwa Award"
- The Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers Society of Washington, D.C. 75th International Fine Arts Miniature "Third Place" - Watermedia
- Salmagundi Club 32nd Annual Non Members Exhibition NY, NY "Thomas Moran Memorial Award"
- American Artist Professional League 80th Grand National Exhibition "Frank C Wright Medal of Honor" Watermedia
Solo Museum Exhibitions:
- Canton Museum of Art, Canton, OH - 2010
- Leepa Rattner Museum of Art, Tarpon Springs, FL (St. Pete College) "Heart and Soul" - 2009
- Cornell Museum of Art & American Culture, Delray Beach, FL "Everything's a Portrait" Greater Denton Arts Council, Center for Visual Arts, Denton, TX "Imperfect Beauty" - 2008
- University of West Florida Art Gallery, Pensacola, FL - 2007
Solo Shows:
- Mississippi Art Museum, Jackson, MS - 2005
- American Jazz Museum, Kansas City, MO - 2004
- Gadsden Art Center, Quincy, FL - 2004
Invitational Exhibitions:
- Master's of the American West, Autry National Center, Los Angeles, CA, Coors Western Invitational, Denver, CO, Prix de West Cowboy Museum, Oklahoma City, OK - 2011
- Master's of the American West, Autry National Center, Los Angeles, CA, Coors Western Invitational, Denver, CO, Prix de West Cowboy Museum, Oklahoma City, OK - 2010
- Master's of the American West, Autry National Center, Los Angeles, CA, Coors Western Invitational, Denver, CO, Prix de West Cowboy Museum, Oklahoma City, OK - 2009
- Florida State University Museum of Art, Tallahassee, FL "The Story" Booth Western Art Museum, Carterville, GA "The Black West: Buffalo Soldiers, Black Cowboys & Untold Stories, Master's of the American West, Autry National Center, Los Angeles, CA, Coors Western Invitational, Denver, CO, Prix de West Cowboy Museum, Oklahoma City, OK - 2008
- First Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary International Watermedia Masters, Nanjing Library Exhibition Hall, Nanjing, China, Master's of the American West, Autry National Center, Los Angeles, CA, Coors Western Invitational, Denver, CO - 2007
- Salon d'Arts, Colorado History Museum, Denver, CO, Master's of the American West, Autry National Center, Los Angeles, CA - 2006
- Master's of the American West, Autry National Center, Los Angeles, CA - 2005
- Foothills Art Center, Golden, CO "Radiant Souls" - 2004
- Music, Deep Rivers in My Soul, book by Maya Angelou, Dean Mitchell and Wynton Marsalis - 2003
- Black Romantic, exhibition at the Studio Museum in Harlem, NY. Received a full color reproduction of his work in the New York Times. - 2002
- Series of Jazz Player Stamps for the U. S. Postal Service - 1995