Artsy Fartsy Tuesday- Mitch Baird
We met Mitch last year in Jackson Hole at the gallery that him and Al were in. He is the nicest guy, very passionate about his work, and very good at it too. Al ran into him this year in Jackson, then again near the campground while he was painting Plein Air. Mitch has a great variety of work, landscapes, figurative, and still life. But I think his passion really lies in the landscapes. He has a wonderful, loose, and colorful style in his art.
Mitch Baird was born in 1972 and grew up in the Pacific Northwest near Seattle, Washington. At an early age he displayed talent in drawing and painting and with the encouragement of his parents developed a love for art. His true passion for painting matured while pursuing his BFA at Brigham Young University. It was here that he studied under the great draftsman Ralph Barksdale, whose inspiration and wisdom quickened his abilities, knowledge and desire. “It was Ralph Barksdale’s patient direction and willingness to share the mysteries and insights into design, drawing and painting that opened my eyes and mind. I will forever be indebted to him.”
As a representational painter Mitch believes that painting is a celebration of life and the beauty that surrounds us. He is devoted to the traditions of the late 19th century artists who looked to the figure and nature’s landscape for inspiration regarding light, color, and design. Seeking out this inspiration, Mitch works directly from life to capture the qualities and nuances of natural light and color harmony. He has a strong conviction that great artistic communication depends on good draftsmanship, design and vision. His artistic desire is to “portray a positive visual statement and hope the viewer will experience what I see and in some sense be inspired, uplifted, or moved by my painting, whether it is of a small intimate setting or a grandiose subject.”
Mitch still resides in the ‘Great Pacific Northwest’ near Portland, Oregon with his wife Emily, daughter Siena and son Spencer. He was recently awarded an Honoble Mention and published in the 21 over 31 Emerging Artists competition in Southwest Art Magazine. He was also recently awarded Best of Show & Southwest Art Magazine’s Award of Excellence in the American Impressionist Society Exhibition, the Founder’s Award in the international ‘Blossom – The Art of Flowers’ museum exhibition and two paintings in the National Parks ‘Paint the Parks – Top 100′ exhibit.
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Mitch Baird is a very expressive artist. I just love his technique and use of color. Thanks for sharing such a talent.