BIOGRAPHY
Laura holds an M.F.A in Design from VCU, USA, a Diploma of Fine Art from Central TAFE and an Advanced Diploma of Music Education from MIA in W. Australia, and a B.A. in Music/English. She has had a career as a musician, another riding the wave of the dot com boom, and now focuses on visual arts while juggling a young family. She has exhibited and been collected internationally, and has taught art and music from the university to early childhood levels. Current and recent projects include a large scale renewable energy public artwork for the CIty of Cockburn, floating sculpture for Fremantle Festival 2013 Art Adrift exhibition, and lasercut art in metal structures. She also loves inspiring and educating adults and children in contemporary visual arts and music, facilitating Community Arts Projects and teaching all ages from university level to early education. She is exploring directions for her next series of artworks including illuminated paintings using acrylic “skins” as well as various printmaking techniques. Previously she has produced series of artworks using recycled materials, animated typography, and filigree compositions cut in metal, wood and ceramics. Mitchell’s most recently exhibited works are part of “Talkback”, a project in collaboration with artistic partner Tania Ferrier. Talkback was shown at the prestigious Heathcote Museum & Gallery in Perth (AUS), Melbourne City Library (AUS), the Academy of Fine Arts (VA, USA) and is scheduled as part a high-profile arts festival with the adventurous Frankston Gallery in Melbourne (VIC, AUS). With Talkback, Laura returns to her interest in political art via a fusion of hybrid with traditional painting and sculpture. This series includes illuminated and projected artworks, both static and moving, in a blackbox setting.
EDUCATION
1993 Va. Commonwealth University: M.F.A. Visual Arts & Design, USA
1988 University of Virginia: B.A. Music/English, USA
2004-09 Curtin University & Edith Cowan University: Visual Arts Coursework, WA
2002 – 2003 Perth Central TAFE: Diploma of Visual Arts & Crafts, WA
1992 Corcoran School of Art: Visual Arts Coursework, Washington, DC, USA
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
(WA = Western Australia, VIC = Melbourne, Australia)
2016 A.I.R. Gallery: Talkback 2016, NYC, USA
2016 Frankston Arts Centre Gallery: Talkback 2016, Melbourne
2015 Academy Centre for the Art: Identity Invitational, VA, USA
2015 Academy Centre of the Arts: Talkback 2015, VA, USA
2015 Australian Catholic University Gallery: Talkback 2015, VIC
2014 Heathcote Museum & Gallery: Talkback 2015, WA
2013 Fremantle Festival: Floating Sculpture Exhibition, WA
2012 Virginia Commonwealth University 1509 Gallery: Solo Exhibition, VA, USA
2012 Moores Contemporary Gallery: Horologos: Improvisations on a Clockface, WA
2015 & 2011 Gallery East, Juried: Between the Sheets – The Book as Art, WA
2011 Kidogo Art House: Solo Exhibition “The Elephant of Eastbury”, WA
2011 Alice&Co./Little Fox Press Gallery: Exhibition/Book Launch “The Elephant of Eastbury” , Melbourne
2010, 2009 Guidlford Grammar School Invitational, WA
2008 Annual Invitational Brazen Art Space, WA
2010 & 2008, 2010 ArtStrings Invitational Auction/Exhibition, WA: Invited Artist –
2009, 2008, 2006, 2005 Annual Invitational, Hale School, WA
2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012 Cossack Show, WA
2006 Victoria Park Centre for the Arts: Art Awards Artist in Residence, WA
2007 “Artopia” City of Fremantle Festival: Solo Exhibition (Sponsored), WA
2005 Perth Central TAFE & Riseborough Gallery The Book Show, WA
2004 Lime Gallery, Solo Exhibition “Good enough to Eat”, WA
2003 Perth Central TAFE “Obsessive Compulsive” Group Exhibition, WA
2003 Cue Festival, Burning Sculpture Invitation Exhibition, WA
1993 Virginia Commonwealth University Graduate Exhibition, USA
COLLECTIONS, COMMISSIONS, AWARDS, GRANTS, RESIDENCIES
2015 Artist’s Residency: Academy of Fine Arts, USA
2014 Grant: Dept. of Culture and the Arts WA Visual Arts Development Grant, “A-List” Shortlisted, WA
2011-on Gallery Representation: Margaret River Gallery, WA
2014 Artist’s Residency: “Talkback” Heathcote Museum/Gallery & Clontarf Aboriginal Girls School, WA
2013 Public Art Commission & Shortlisted: City of Cockburn Renewable Energy Projects, WA
2014 Collection: Amazement Square Children’s Museum, VA, USA
2014 Collection: Unitarian Universalist Arts Foundation, USA
2013 Award: Finalist Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize, NSW
2013 Award: First Prize & invitation to AIR Remida Creative Center, WA
2013 Grant & First Prize: City of Fremantle Festival Parade, WA
2012 Public Art Commission, Shortlisted: Renewable Energy Public Art, City of Cockburn, WA
2012 Grant: Dept. of Culture & the Arts WA, Artflight for international exhibition, WA
2012 Grant: Va. Commonwealth University School of the Arts, Featured International Artist, USA
2012 Collection: E.C. Glass Foundation Art Collection, USA
2011 Collection: Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, WA
2011 Collection: Alice & Co. Gallery/Little Fox Press, VIC
2006 Artist’s Residency: “The Fat Life” Victoria Park Art Awards/Arts Centre, WA
1992 Award 1st Prize: Virginia Commonwealth University Design Exhibition, USA
1985 Grant: Arts Council of North Carolina, USA
SELECTED REVIEWS & PUBLICATIONS
2015 The Lynchburg News & The BURG Magazine: Arts Editor Casey Gillis “Academy eyes identity, race with new exhibit”, USA
2014 The West Australian: Arts Editor Lyn DiCiero “A New Canvas for Social Justice”, USA
2014 Fremantle Herald: Arts Editor Lyn D’Anger “Who Belongs?”
2011 The West Australian: Arts Editor William Yeoman, “Passing Through Time/Horologos”
2011 The West Australian: Books Editor William Yeoman, “The Elephant of Eastbury”
2011 Artist’s Chronicle: Editor Lyn DiCiero, “The Elephant of Eastbury”
2011 A Bear Among Bees ArtZine, Curator Claire Bushby, “The Elephant of Eastbury”
2007 Fremantle Herald: Arts Editor Brendan Foster “Bohemian Cafe”, featured artist in Artopia Arts festival
2006 Victoria Park News: featured artist, Victoria Park Center for the Arts Exhibition
1998 “Zed” an Academic Arts Journal Va. Commonwealth University, USA: hybrid arts installation
1996 “Print” Magazine “1984” hybrid arts installation
FACULTY • TEACHING POSITIONS
2015-16 Asst. Professor Lynchburg College/University): Sculpture, Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, USA
2015 Lecturer: Academy Centre of the Arts: Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Ceramics, USA
2016 Multicultural Arts Workshop Facilitator: Frankston Arts Centre/Ventana Fiesta, VIC
2015 Invited Lecturer/Workshop Presenter: “Visual Arts & Social Justice”, Annual Conference on Race & Poverty, VA, USA
2001 – present: Laura Mitchell Visual Arts Private Tuition, WA
2012-13: WA ARTS COUNCILS: AIR & Visual Arts Masterclasses at various centres cincluding Darius Wells Arts Center-Kwinana,
Rockingham Regional Arts Center, WA
2008-2015 Beaconsfield Primary School: Various Projects: Parent Artist & Teacher/Artist in Residence, WA
1992-93 Adjunct Faculty: Va. Commonwealth University: Visual Arts Courses, USA