His roots, his character, his soul are all evident in his brush strokes. Dean Mitchell grew up in small town Quincy, Florida, in a predominantly African American neighborhood where art was rare and artists were an anomaly. While other children played games and sports, Mitchell found refuge in drawing and painting, expressing himself and his emotions through images inspired by daily life in his hometown.

"My work is not about color; it's about life. Once you get to know your subjects, you can develop a love that comes through in your work. In the end, you hope you can do something that will help people come together. Emotions are universal, no matter what color the skin." - Dean Mitchell

Mitchell's work evokes his ardent desire to imbue each image with dignity, compassion, pride, and respect. He paints the world that is most familiar to him, finding iconic power in the portraits of family and

Purchase the print Dean Mitchell - Wilson House proceeds  benefit Redeemed Inc. renovation.

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DM_Wilson

Dean Mitchell - Wilson House print

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lifelong friends, the weathered facade of a ramshackle barn, or doorways along a deserted New Orleans street. With the touch of a master, Mitchell evokes the triumph and transcendence of the ordinary. His crisp lines and distinctive color palette transform compositions of light and shadow into impassioned images of honor and reverence, humanity and hope.

 

Dean recently returned to Quincy in support of a worthy cause. The event was a benefit for Redeemed Incorporated's restoration of the "Wilson House". The Wilson House will be used as a woman's shelter (click to read Wilson House article). Recognized as one of the finest artists in America, he received his formal training at Columbus College of Art and Design where he earned his bachelor's of fine arts and an honorary master's degree.

Other Dean Michell projects:

Mitchell is collaborating with Maya Angelou and jazz recording artist, Wynton Marsalis, in the limited edition book, Music, Deep Rivers in My Soul. Mitchell has six etchings surrounded by Angelou's poetry. The book also contains a CD recording of Marsalis' music.

Mitchell is being filmed for a Public Broadcasting Service special. They are making a documentary on his life. The public's interest in his career snowballed after he was pronounced "a virtual modern-day Vermeer," by New York Times' Art Critic Michael Kimmelman in 2002. If you took the temperature of Mitchell's career today, it would be hot. He's so over it, though-waiting on Leroy and a U-haul truck in his Kansas City home, Mitchell says, "I have had a rich life in so many different ways." One gets a sense that every moment of his life has been cherished from his early beginning hard-knocks to being the toast of New York.