50 Artists: 50 Years of Art in Springfield: Bruce Mitchell: Mentoring artists with his knowledge of art materials and tools

Writer's Notes: Unlike past visits to artist's studios, this week I went to the art center to interview Bruce Mitchell at the weekly "drop-in clinic" he does for artists. Each Wednesday afternoon from 1 to 5 p.m., Bruce is available to help artists with whatever they need to create their art work.

Using Bruce's expertise in use of art tools and materials, artists who "drop-in" for the afternoon can solve a problem or create the effect they're looking for in a painting. Some artists come often; others get the help they need and Bruce doesn't see them again (until a new problem arises).

Today, two artists were there and another arrived after I interviewed Bruce. The artist had a photo she had taken of a green tree frog on a rhododendron leaf that she wanted to paint. She asked Bruce for help with the composition and he drew a grid with pencil on a blank piece of paper. After asking her questions about what she was trying to achieve, Bruce roughed in a drawing showing how to use parts of the photo to create the composition she was seeking. They continued in dialogue together until she was satisfied with the direction to take to begin her work.

While Bruce was busy, I took photos of his paintings which he brought in for me to see, all of which he (thankfully) removed from their frames so I could take pictures without the glare of glass to contend with. I encouraged him to tell all the artists who come to the clinic to be sure to take digital photos of their artwork before framing under glass.

Thanks to Bruce's "un"framing, I had much better success in taking photos of the art this week. He said that with his new staple gun he would be able to get his paintings back into their frames without any trouble.

I encourage artists who haven't attended the weekly drop-in clinic to "show up" and take advantage of Bruce's knowledge and skills to learn new techniques that save time and enhance their artwork. He loves to teach what knows to both new (and old) artists!

More images of Bruce Mitchell's art follow the newspaper story.

(Note that clicking on the photos anywhere on "this blog will enlarge the art image for better viewing).

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Featured in the Springfield Beacon (August 15, 2007)

50 Artists: 50 Years of Art in Springfield
Celebrating arts and culture in our community

By Todd Peterson
For The Beacon

Bruce Mitchell
Mentoring artists with his knowledge of art materials and tools

For the past four years, Bruce Mitchell has led the Emerald Art Center's "drop-in clinic" for artists who come to learn how to best use the tools and materials of art. With his broad experience in most every art medium, he helps artists solve problems and learn whatever they need to achieve their desired creative outcome.

In his own art work, Bruce uses watercolors to quickly create what he calls "individualistic", not pictorial paintings. He may distort the colors and design of what he sees before him in a landscape or seascape.

Bruce has done freelance commercial art for many years, working for KEZI and Engleman-Becker where he did art for books and periodicals. Before he moved to Oregon in 1964, he taught a watercolor class on KQED, the public broadcasting station in San Francisco.

Bruce had early success in selling a painting he did while in elementary school. The painting of a house was purchased by the doctor who lived there. Over the years, his paintings have won many awards and he once had a gallery show at Mills College near where he lived in Oakland, California.

Currently, Bruce spends more time teaching and mentoring other artists than doing his own paintings. With his well-rounded experience with the materials and tools of art, he is passing on his knowledge to the many artists who come to the Emerald Art Center to learn, create, and display their art in the gallery.

In his own words:

Inspiration To Begin: "I was inspired by my dad who was a commercial artist. He worked as a package designer. My grand dad, a furniture maker who did interiors of mansions in Oakland as well as woodwork on cruise ships, was also an inspiration for me to begin doing art.

Important Mentors: "At the California College of Arts & Crafts, Harry Donlevy, George Post, and Richard Diebenkorn were important mentors. So was Louis Milirak and Saburo Hasegawa, a Zen monk who taught me Sumi pen and ink and calligraphy. Among the art masters, I admire Winslow Homer and Singer-Sargent. Lots of artists inspire me -- Robert E. Wood, E. John Robinson from Mendicino, and George Post, the watercolorist I studied with in college."

Value of Art in Life: "It has been a part of my life since I started drawing at age five. Even while I worked in the retail and wholesale grocery trade and as a national sales manager for a hardware firm, I did freelance work as a commercial artist. Now in retirement, I enjoy teaching at the art center's drop-in clinic each week."

His Artist's Legacy: "I think my legacy will be as a mentor who had an ability to teach people how to use the tools of art and the materials correctly."

For more information about Bruce Mitchell and to see additional images of his art, visit the blog: www.emeraldartcenter.blogspot.com and the art center's website: www.emeraldartcenter.org.

"Coast Guard Station - Newport" by Bruce Mitchell

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About The Artist

Birthplace: Oakland, California

Arts Education: Oakland City College; California College of Arts & Crafts; U. of Denver

Media of Choice: Watercolors

Favorite Place to Do Art: At home in his studio

Favorite Subjects To Paint: Landscapes, seascapes and portraits

Arts Organizations: Emerald Empire Arts Association; Watercolor Society of Oregon

Weekly Clinic: Offers drop-in clinic at Emerald Art Center on Wednesday afternoons (1- 5 p.m.)
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All art images and photos of the art are copyright of the artist.