Janet Mitchell (artist)
Janet Mitchell | |
---|---|
Born | 1912 Painter |
Awards | member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (1977); A. J. Casson Award, Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour, 1979; Honorary doctorate from the University of Calgary (1988). |
Elected | Alberta Society of Artists; Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour in 1971 |
Janet Mitchell
Early life and career
Mitchell was born in
Shortly afterwards, Rose died, and her father married a third time. His new wife, Maude, was much more supportive of Mitchell's artistic inclinations, and gave her a set of oil paints for her 21st birthday.
In 1938, Mitchell's father contracted cancer, and Mitchell returned home to help Maude care for him.
Artist
Art continued to play an increasingly important part of Mitchell's life. She first exhibited her work in 1947, then in 1948 showed her work in the Calgary Group exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery, considered to be one of the first modernist painting exhibitions of Alberta artists.
In 1965, the
Following Maude's death in 1967, Mitchell sold their Calgary house and toured European museums and art galleries for a year. She then moved back to Calgary to return to her art.[3]
Mitchell painted "highly realistic landscapes and townscapes of Western Canada", as well as "whimsical, sometimes dreamlike images in vibrant colors of cats, dogs, birds or fanciful floating people."
"Who knows where a painting comes from? It can begin with the simplest thing. A sound, maybe, or the memory of a shape. I usually have no idea where I'm going. I can only look back and see where I've been. And it never gets any easier. Every time I begin, it's like the first time and the best painting is always one I'll do tomorrow."[3]
Mitchell continued painting into her later years. In 1992, Canada Post chose one of her watercolours, Across the Tracks to Shop, to be featured on one of a series of stamps commemorating Canada's 125th year.[10]
On February 26, 1998, she died of cancer. She was 85 years old.[5]
Legacy
In the years following her death, her paintings continued to attract interest. In 2007 her piece They Roam the Streets at Will sold for $9,950 at Hodgins Art Auctions.[11]
Awards and honours
- In 1977, the Glenbow Museum mounted a retrospective exhibition of her artistic career.
- In 1979, Mitchell was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.[8]
- In 1979, Mitchell was awarded the A.J. Casson Award by the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour
- In 1988, she earned an honorary doctor of law degree from the University of Calgary.[8]
Collections and archives
Mitchell's work is in the following public collections:
- Art Gallery of Windsor, Ontario[7]
- Calgary Allied Arts Centre, Alberta[7]
- Alix Art Gallery, Sarnia, Ontario[7]
- University of Alberta[7]
- University of Calgary, Alberta[7]
- Museum London, Ontario[7]
- National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario[12]
Her papers are in the Glenbow Museum, Janet Mitchell fonds.[4]
References
- ^ "Janet Mitchell". Google Arts & Culture. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ^ "Janet Mitchell Paintings & Artwork for Sale | Janet Mitchell Art Value Price Guide". invaluable.com. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Gustafson, Paula (September 22, 1981). "Artist's Impression". Calgary Herald. pp. C1.
- ^ a b c Mitchell fonds, Janet. "Janet Mitchell Fonds". ww2.glenbow.org. Glenbow Museum. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
- ^ a b c Mayes, Alison (February 28, 1998). "Cancer claims Janet Mitchell". Calgary Herald. p. 121. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
- ^ "Artist Database". Canadian Women Artists History Initiative. Concordia University, Montreal. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i MacDonald 1979, p. 1240-1.
- ^ a b c d Tousley, Nancy (September 24, 1995). "Humor and determination". Calgary Herald. p. 25. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
- ^ Murray 1991, p. 9.
- ^ Thacyk, Lorri (June 25, 1992). "Calgary artist drawing rave reviews for stamp". Calgary Herald.
- ^ "Janet Mitchell | Art Auction Results". www.mutualart.com. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ^ "Janet Mitchell". National Gallery of Canada. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
Bibliography
- Murray, Joan (1991). "Janet Mitchell: Celebrating Life". Janet Mitchell: Life and Art. Winnipeg: Hyperion Press. pp. 9–10. ISBN 0920534872. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
- Devonshire Baker, Suzanne (1980). Artists of Alberta. Edmonton: University of Alberta. ISBN 0888640307. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
- MacDonald, Colin (1979). A Dictionary of Canadian Artists, vol.4 (Third ed.). Canadian Paperbacks Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-919554-13 X. Retrieved June 15, 2020.