Maryland Printmakers

JOHN BLAIR MITCHELL: A RETROSPECTIVE
By Megan O'Brien
(Archived article from September 2000 - click here for current articles)

John Blair Mitchell, Chilam Balam, 1996, 20" x 16", lithograph

On a warm summer night, amidst the flurry of activity for the Maryland Festival of the Arts at Towson University, was the incredible retrospective exhibit of the works of the late John Blair Mitchell. The exhibit was an enormous undertaking for John's wife, Marge Mitchell. Months of unflagging effort went into assembling a representative sampling of a lifetime of works including pottery, photography, drawings, prints and sculptures. The enormity of collating this exhibit only begins to compare with the wealth of experience represented in this exhibit of John's life's work. The exhibit began with works from the 1930's, lovely pencil drawings and paintings which remained a integral media for John throughout his life. The show moved progressively through the decades, revealing his influence from Cubism, Expressionism, Print Revival, etc., as he was exposed to so many artists and styles. This exhibit not only represented John's works but marked a period of history in art. Each piece selected represented a moment in time and a fond memory for the guests at the opening. Friends and family were present to remember John and his contribution to the arts and their lives as friend, teacher, co-worker and mentor. The exhibit was on view at the Holtzman Art Gallery, Center for the Arts, June 17-July 29, 2000, at Towson University, Towson, MD.