New Exhibition at Foosaner Explores ‘Animal Nature’
Linda Mitchell Offers Paintings, Installations
Featuring Real and Imagined Critters
MELBOURNE, FLA. — An exhibition of nearly three dozen mixed-media paintings and installations by Atlanta-based Linda Mitchell will bring a coterie of real and imagined creatures to the walls of Florida Tech’s Foosaner Art Museum starting Aug. 8.
Animal Nature: Recent Works by Linda Mitchell, on view through Oct. 24, offers 35 pieces made with painted and photographic images, fabric, wood, glass and found objects.
Mitchell describes her artworks as “spirit animals.”
“They speak for me, exploring this human life and searching for truth. The world of animals evokes a different kind of emotional landscape with natural and sincere expression,” she said. “The multimedia paintings create intricate, surreal scenes, reflecting life’s complexity – layered with experience, memory, expectations, hopes and dreams.”
Mitchell earned a bachelor’s degree in fine art from University of Georgia and two master’s degrees in fine art, in painting and sculpture, from Georgia State University. She has exhibited extensively with solo shows at museums, art centers and galleries throughout the United States.
The exhibition was curated by Carla Funk, Foosaner’s executive director and chief curator. Funk has also curated a companion exhibition which will also be on view in the galleries: Animal Imagery from the Foosaner Collection. Comprised of art works owned by the Foosaner Art Museum, Animal Imagery includes paintings, drawings and sculpture inspired by the animal kingdom.
“I thought this would be a great way to highlight some wonderful pieces from our permanent collection,” Funk said. “Across time and place, cultures have been intrigued by animals. This fascination with animal life is explored at the Foosaner with examples from Pre-Columbian art, Hindu metalwork from South Central Asia and American paintings, drawings and sculpture.”
Foosaner galleries are free and open to the public at 50 percent capacity Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Social distancing and masks are required, and new sanitation measures are being implemented. Visit https://foosanerartmuseum.org/ or call 321-674-8921 for more information.
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