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Fred Mitchell Art

American, b. 1923

Fred Mitchell is included in the book New York School Abstract Expressionists. He was an important New York City artist in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Mitchell was born in Mississippi and was known as a gifted Abstract Expressionist painter. In 1943, Mitchell was drafted into the US Army. After the war, Mitchell attended Cranbrook Academy for two years where he further studied and practiced an advanced Modernist/Regionalist style of painting. After some travel around Europe, Mitchell settled in Rome for three years. There he met several American painters including Angelo Ippolito and John Heliker, who were older and working in a more advanced Expressionist painting style. This made a large influence on Mitchell's work. In 1951, Mitchell moved to New York City and became one of the first painters to open a painting studio in downtown Manhattan. Mitchell started an art school in the old Seaman's Church Institute in the seaport area along the East River known as Coenties Slip. Coenties Slip consisted of old, large, and cheap cold water lofts. During the ensuing years, other artists moved nearby including Ellsworth Kelly (introduced to the area by Mitchell in 1954), Robert Indiana, Agnes Martin, Jack Albert Youngerman and James Rosenquist. Mitchell's first New York solo show was at Tanager Gallery in 1952 with solo exhibitions also in 1954 and 1960. Over its 10 year history, Tanager Gallery showed most of the best painters and sculptors including older masters Philip Guston, Adolph Frederick Ad Reinhardt, Willem De Kooning, Franz Kline, Barnett Newman, Philip Pavia and became an important platform for showing and introducing many new artists including early showings by Jasper Johns, Milton Ernest Robert Rauschenberg, Tom Wesselmann, Alex Katz, Philip Pearlstein, Bill King, Helen Frankenthaler, Norman Bluhm and many others. In 1954, Mitchell's oil painting, Black White and Red, was included in the landmark Guggenheim Museum show, 'Younger American Painters'. Curated by James Johnson Sweeney, the exhibition traveled to the Dallas Museum of Art and Detroit Museum. In 1953 and 1954, Mitchell was included in the prestigious, 'Stable Gallery Annual Exhibition'. In 1955, Mitchell returned to Cranbrook Academy to teach for several years while also exhibiting in New York and Cleveland as well as traveling back to Positano, Italy. During the mid to late 50s, Mitchell exhibited at Howard Wise Gallery in Cleveland. Wise opened a second gallery in 1960 in New York City, and Mitchell had two solo shows there.

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From The Terrace ( Via Dei Serpenti, 90, Roma)
By Fred Mitchell
Located in Lawrence, NY
In 1951, just returning from a Pepsi Scholarship in Rome, Mitchell moved to an area near the South Street Seaport in Lower Manhattan known as Coenties Slip. Surrounding Jeanette Park, overlooking the East River and the Brooklyn Bridge, Coenties Slip was a three-block pie slice of glorious light, water views, and low rent. Mitchell was the first to discover Coenties Slip, but other artists soon followed him, including Agnes Martin, Ellsworth Kelly, Robert Indiana, Lenore Tawney...
Category

1940s Abstract Expressionist Fred Mitchell Art

Materials

Oil

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Fred Mitchell art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Fred Mitchell art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Fred Mitchell in paint, gouache, watercolor and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the abstract style. Not every interior allows for large Fred Mitchell art, so small editions measuring 9 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Victor Thall, Morris Shulman, and Liz Tran. Fred Mitchell art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $3,088 and tops out at $17,500, while the average work can sell for $4,650.

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