Born in Montana, US 1974
Blue Mitchell is an artist and independent publisher. Based in Portland, Oregon, he has been involved with many facets of the photographic arts.
Mitchell received his BFA from Oregon College of Art & Craft where he has also taught studio school classes and workshops. In his personal work, he implements many photographic techniques including acrylic lifts, alternative processes, burnt transparencies, and other mixed media. Most recently, he has been exclusively using Polaroid films for his new work.
Mitchell states “ I’m nostalgic. I am deeply interested in photo and art history, yet I’m not crippled by what’s already been done, ‘cause everything has. I do not limit my photographic toolbox. I have no problems ruining my art… for its own sake. That includes film and prints… all those lovely, precious artifacts.”
Beyond his own work, Mitchell runs a publishing company named One Twelve, which focuses on artfully crafted photo practices. Mitchell also hosts a podcast called the Diffusion Tapes where he chats with artists, curators, and writers working in the field of fine art photography.
Portrait by Jake Shivery
Recent ARTICLE
2022 Dec. 13, Analog Forever Magazine, "Twenty Alternative Process Photographers You Need to Know!" by Christina Z. Anderson
Recent exhibits
PODCAST INTERVIEWS
Blue Mitchell | Exhibition Resume, Curriculum Vitae
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2014 Chasing the Afterglow, Gallery Nord, San Antonio, TX (duo exhibit with Beth Devillier)
2012 Evanescent Energy, Southern Light Gallery, Amarillo College, Amarillo, TX
2011 Evanescent Energy, Lightbox Photographic Gallery, Astoria, OR
2010 Evanescent Energy, Newspace Center for Photography, Portland, OR
2008 Mythos, Space 204, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
2007 Mythos, Downtown Initiative for the Arts (DIVA), Eugene, OR
2007 Mythos, Filter Talent, Portland, OR
2006 Mythos, Cameraworks Gallery, Portland, OR
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023 Pacific Northwest Photography Viewing Drawers, Blue Sky Gallery, Portland, OR (curated by Crista Dix)
2022 International Juried Exhibition, 3rd Place Award, Center for Photographic Art, Carmel, CA (curated by Paul Kopeikin) (award, catalogue)
2022 Revēlō, Click! Plein Air Exhibition, North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, NC (curated by Tracey Norman-Morgan & Michael Pannier)
2019 One-of-a-Kind, Obscura Gallery, Santa Fe, NM (curated by Jennifer Schlesinger)
2019 Crowlaboration in Crowvember 2, Afru Gallery, Portland, OR
2018 Blue Sky 2018 Pacific Northwest Photography Viewing Drawers, Blue Sky Gallery, Portland, OR (curated by Hamidah Glasgow)
2018 PDX 30, Jurors Award, Lightbox Photographic Gallery, Astoria, OR (award)
2015 Depth of Field, an rfotofolio exhibit, Art Intersection, Gilbert, AZ
2015 Sky, Lafayette City Center Passageway Gallery, Griffin Museum of Photography, Boston, MA (curated by Paula Tognarelli) (catalogue)
2015 Fragments of Reality: Duane Monczewski, Beth Moon, Jennifer Schlesinger-Hanson, Takeshi Shikama, Blue Mitchell, Verve Gallery of Photography, Sante Fe, NM
2014 Chasing the Afterglow, Gallery Nord, San Antonio, TX (duo exhibit with Beth Devillier)
2014 Breaking Ground Exhibition, Homecoming 2014, College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA (curated by Eliot Dudik)
2014 Peter Urban Legacy 20th Annual Juried Exhibition, Griffin Museum of Photography, Winchester MA (juried by Aline Smithson) (catalogue)
2014 Unbound3!, Candela Books + Gallery, Richmond, VA
2013 Center Forward, The Center for Fine Art Photography, Fort Collins, CO (catalogue)
2013 Antiquarian & the New Alchemy, Serenbe Photography Center, Chattahoochee Hills, GA (curated by S. Gayle Stevens)
2013 Board of Directors Exhibit, Newspace Center for Photography, Portland, OR
2013 4th Biennial Juried Pinhole Photography Show, Rayko Photo Center, San Francisco, CA
2013 e·mer·gence, Lightbox Photographic Gallery, Astoria OR
2013 Exposure 2013 | Calgary Banff Canmore Photography Festival, Snap Shot, curated by Skew Gallery, Calgary, Canada
2012 Cannon Beach Photo Review Exhibition, Cannon Beach Arts Association Gallery, OR
2011 ISTORIA: Exploration in Contemporary Narrative, UTSA Satellite Space, San Antonio, TX
2011 This Good Earth: Annual Exhibition, Newspace Center for Photography, Portland, OR (juried by Laura Valenti)
2010 Spooky Show, 2nd Annual, Lightbox Gallery, Astoria OR
2010 Third Juried Annuale, The Light Factory, Charlotte, NC (juried by Alex Nierges) (catalogue)
2010 Plastic Fantastic Toy Camera Show, Lightbox Gallery, Astoria OR (juried by Lauren Henkin)
2010 TPS Annual Members’ Only Show, Martin Museum of Art, Baylor University, Waco TX
2009 This Land (Mythos), Studio West, Eugene, OR
2009 1st Juried Members Exhibition, Newspace Center for Photography, Portland, OR
2009 Four: Contemporary Approaches to Photography, 12x16 Gallery, Portland, OR
2008 Sitka Art Invitational, Sitka Center for Art & Ecology, World Forestry Center, Portland, OR
2008 It’s Just Life, ArtsWest Playhouse & Gallery, Seattle, WA
2008 Edgy: Pushing the Limits of Photographic Art, The Center for Fine Art Photography, Fort Collins, CO, (Juried by Michael Itkoff)
2008 International Open Exhibition, The Photomedia Center, Erie, PA (juried by Anthony LaSala)
2007 Craft Biennale Juried Group Exhibition, Hoffman Gallery, OCAC, Portland, OR
2007 Photography: The Other Fine Art, 2nd Annual, The Midlantic Gallery Arts Consortium, Perkasie, PA
2007 Documentation & Distortion, Gallery RFD, Swainsboro, GA (juried by Pete Christman)
2007 OCAC Alumni Exhibition, Hoffman Gallery, OCAC, Portland, OR
2005 SPE NW Juried Exhibition, Gallery II Fine Arts Center, Washington State, Pullman, WA
2005 International Open Exhibition, The Photomedia Center, Erie, PA (juried by Mike Tkach)
2005 Craft Biennale Juried Group Exhibition, Hoffman Gallery, OCAC, Portland, OR
2005 Visuals 505 Film & Video Festival, Portland State University, Portland, OR
2005 Sintax: A Pop Art Exhibition, Gallery 500, Portland, OR
SPINNING YARNS: PHOTOGRAPHIC STORYTELLERS (GROUP EXHIBITION)
A traveling group exhibition curated by Anne Leighton Massoni & Libby Rowe (catalogue)
2015 University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2014 Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ
2014 Blue Star Contemporary Art Center, San Antonio, TX
2014 Delaware County Community College, Media, PA
2013 Newspace Center for Photography, Portland, OR
2013 Photo Center Northwest, Seattle, WA
2013 Baylor University Martin Museum of Art, Waco, TX
2012 West Virginia Wesleyan College, Buckhannon, WV
2011 Gallery 114 and Kendall Gallery, Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris University, Grand Rapids, MI
2011 Lupke Gallery, University of St. Francis, Fort Wayne, IN
Permanent Collections
The Springs Living at Lake Oswego, Lake Oswego, OR
Hoffman Gallery, Oregon College of Art and Craft, Portland, OR
Center for Fine Art Photography, Fort Collins, CO
INTERVIEWS
2021 Feb 1, The Wise Fool podcast Publisher + Photographer, Blue Mitchell
2018 July 18, Episode 70: Blue Mitchell, Keep the Channel Open podcast (https://goo.gl/JLn4f7)
2014 July 2014, F295 Interview by Tom Persinger (http://f295.org/home/interview-blue-mitchell/)
2014 Jan. 2014, Rfotofolio, Interview and gallery by Connie and Jerry Rosenthal (http://goo.gl/R9tZJ9)
2014 Focal Point Q3 2014 Interview, Crusade for Art, (https://goo.gl/Kf5ILi)
2013 MIXTAPE, Oct.10, 2013, Lenscratch, Interview by Aline Smithson (http://goo.gl/JSoEEo)
2013 Sept. 11, 2013, Kiernan Gallery blog, Interview by Kat Kiernan (http://goo.gl/NNbt03)
2012 Blue Moon Camera Codex, Interview by Jake Shivery, (http://goo.gl/msfjyu)
2010 Holga Darkroom, Featured Photographer, (http://goo.gl/48DDRR)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2022 Dec. 13, Analog Forever Magazine, "Twenty Alternative Process Photographers You Need to Know!" by Christina Z. Anderson
2019 Edition 1, Winter 2019, Analog Forever Magazine, "Blue Mitchell" by Niniane Kelley
2017 Issue 203, June 2017, Black + White Photography Magazine (UK), “American Connection” by Susan Burnstine
2015 Alternative Photographic Processes, page 67-69, Focal Press, Brady Wilks
2014 Wide: Chasing the Afterglow, Issue #40, Dec/Jan 2014-15, Blur Magazine, http://goo.gl/cpbth5
2014 Summer 2014 Issue, page 101 (print edition), Diffusion exhibit review at Verve Gallery, ARTnews, Ann Landi
2012 Issue 116, page 35, Summer 2012, Shots Magazine
2012 April 23, 2012, “Photographer visits AC, inspires students”, The Ranger, Amarilo College
2011 Newspace Center for Photography Retrospective Book, 2002-2011
2011 Oregon College of Art & Craft Alumni Profile, OCAC Imprint, Spring 2011
2010 Photographic Possibilities: The Expressive Use of Equipment, Ideas, Materials, and Processes, 3rd Edition, page 5, 268, Focal Press, Robert Hirsch
2010 Lenscratch, Sept 3 2010 Featured Photographer, (http://goo.gl/0yA2uX)
2010 The Pinhole Camera, Take 5 Interview, (http://goo.gl/rBQoG0)
2010 Camera Obscura Journal, Volume II, Sfumato Press, LLC
2010 Balch Creek, Issue 30, Bear Deluxe Magazine: a project of Orlo 2008
2010 Issue 100, page 10, Summer 2008, Shots Magazine
2010 Cell Phone Photography Exhibition I catalog, page 12, Texas Photographic Society, TX
2008 Issue 30, Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, Air, F-Stop (http://goo.gl/xYOT4d)
2007 June 7, 2007, Page 40, “Photography...the other fine art” at Perkasie, Bucks County Herald, PA
2007 June 2007, “Tranquility Equals Balance”, Portland Southeast Examiner, Portland, OR
2007 The CameraArts Blog, CameraArts Preview Portfolios, Oct 30, 2007
2006 Issue #20, Winter Issue, F-Stop Magazine, (http://goo.gl/AVpNwx)
EXHIBIT REVIEWS
2013 Spencer, Aaron “In Narrative Photo Exhibition, Every Picture Tells A Story” OPB, Nov. 12,
2010 Decambre, Dave, “Local Flavors: The Light Factory’s 2010 Annnuale, NC Artblog, June 1
2010 Speer, Richard, “Visual Arts Pick”, Willamette Weekly, January
2008 Silverman, Jack, “Time Lapse/Mythos at Ingram Studio Center” Nashville Art Scene, Oct 9
PUBLICATIONS AS AUTHOR
2015 A Dose of Magic: Blue Mitchell on Louviere + Vanessa, PDN Photo of the Day, July 6, 2015,
2014 Crusade For Your Art: Best Practices For Fine Art Photographers, 1st Edition, Crusade Press, Jennifer Schwartz
2013 KK Depaul interview, editorial statement, Diffusion: A Proclamation for Unconventional Photography, V. V
2012 Jim Leisy interview, editorial statement, Diffusion: Unconventional Photography, V. IV
2011 Re-Imagining: Kate Stone, Becky Comber & Christopher Jordan plus interview and editorial statement, Diffusion: Unconventional Photography, V. III
2010 The Mitchell Acrylic Lift on Birch Process, Photographic Possibilities: The Expressive Use of Equipment, Ideas, Materials, and Processes, 3rd Edition, Focal Press, Robert Hirsch
2010 Issue 15, Post Process: Acrylic Lifts, JPG Magazine
2010 Various interviews and editorial statement, Diffusion: Unconventional Photography, V. II
2009 Various interviews and editorial statement, Diffusion: Unconventional Photography, V. I
AWARDS & HONORS
2022 Third Place Award: My Forever no. 01, 2021, Polaroid, International Juried Exhibition, Center for Photographic Art, Carmel, CA (curated by Paul Kopeikin)
2018 Juror Award: “Of Salt and Earth no. 14”, PDX 30, Lightbox Photographic Gallery, Astoria OR, juried by Zeb Andrews
2014 Focal Point Q3 2014 featured artist, Crusade for Art, (http://www.crusadeforart.org/focal-point-q314-)2011 Featured Artist, Texas Photographic Society, Membership Print Program 2011
2009 Grow Art, Poncho Invitational Fine Art Auction, Seattle, WA
2009 Art on the Vine, Live Auction Invitee, OCAC, Portland, OR
2007 Third Place Award, Photography – The Other Fine Art, 2nd Annual, MGAC, Perkasie, PA
2005 Photography Student Commission, Art on the Vine Auction, OCAC, Portland, OR
2005 First Place Award, Student Juried Exhibition, Hoffman Gallery, OCAC, Portland, OR
ARTIST LECTURES / PRESENTATIONS
2018 Artist Lecture, Portland Photo Month Speaker Series, Portland Community College, Portland, OR
2018 The State of Photography in Portland Today - A Panel Discussion, Panel Member, Photolucida, Portland, OR
2016 Northwest Symposium for Alternative Process Photography, Keynote Lecture, Vancouver, BC
2015 Handcrafted Photography Panel, Organizer/ Moderator, SPE NW Conference, Portland, OR
2013 Spinning Yarns Artist Talk, Newspace Center for Photography, Portland, OR
2013 Brown Bag Lecture Series, Portland Art Museum Photography Council, Portland, OR
2012 Visiting Artist Talk, Amarillo College, Amarillo, TX
2012 Visiting Artist & Curatorial Talk, University of Texas, San Antonio, TX
2010 Artist Lecture, Newspace Center for Photography, Portland, OR
2010 Alternative Process Panel Speaker, Society for Photographic Education NW Conference, Portland, OR
2010 Artist Lecture / Professional Practices, Art Institute of Portland Photo Dept., Portland, OR
2010 Artist Lecture / Professional Practices, OCAC Thesis Class, Portland, OR
2009 Artist Lecture, Portland Photographers Forum, Portland, OR
EXHIBITIONS CURATED
2021 Curator, Noir, Analog Forever Online Gallery
2015 Diffusion 6th Annual Exhibition, Center for Fine Art Photography, Fort Collins, CO
2014 Diffusion: 5 Year Retrospective Exhibition, Verve Gallery, Sante Fe, NM
2013 Unconventional Photography (Co-Curator), Lishui International Photography Festival, Lishui, China
2013 After-Light, Basil Hallward Gallery, Powell’s City of Books, Portland, OR
2012 Diffusion 4th Annual Exhibition, Luz Gallery, Victoria, BC
2011 Diffusion 3rd Annual Exhibition, Jennifer Schwartz Gallery, Atlanta, GA
2011 Dream Allegory, Lightbox Photographic Gallery, Astoria, OR
2010 Diffusion 2nd Annual Exhibition, Springbox Gallery, Portland, OR
2009 Diffusion 1st Annual Exhibition and Gala, pop-up, Portland, OR
EXHIBITIONS & COMPETITIONS JURIED
2022 Juror, Telling Tales, SE Center for Photography, Greenville, SC
2022 Juror, Critical Mass, Photolucida, Portland, OR
2021 Juror, Critical Mass, Photolucida, Portland, OR
2020 Juror, Critical Mass, Photolucida, Portland, OR
2018 Juror, Critical Mass, Photolucida, Portland, OR
2018 Juror, Forgotten, A Smith Gallery, Johnson City, TX
2017 Juror, Abstraction, Darkroom Gallery, Essex Jct. VT
2016 Juror, Tribe, Lightbox Photographic Gallery, Astoria, OR
2015 Juror, Abstract, SE Center for Photography, Greenville, SC
2014 Juror, Forgotten, A Smith Gallery, Johnson City, TX
2013 Juror, Grayscale, The Kiernan Gallery, Lexington, VA
2013 Juror, Critical Mass, Photolucida, Portland, OR
2013 Juror, Photo+Craft II, Lightbox Photographic Gallery, Astoria, OR
2013 Juror, Curiouser and Curiouser: Photographic Dreams and Fictions, PhotoPlace Gallery, Middlebury, VT
2013 Juror, TPS 22: International Competition, Texas Photographic Society, San Antonio, TX
2012 Juror, Critical Mass, Photolucida, Portland, OR
2011 Juror, Photo+Craft, Lightbox Photographic Gallery, Astoria, OR
2011 Juror, Critical Mass, Photolucida, Portland, OR
2011 Juror, Portland Metro Scholastic Art Awards, Portland, OR
2011 Juror, Wonderland: Photographing Fictions and Fantasies, PhotoPlace Gallery, Middlebury, VT
2010 Juror, Critical Mass, Photolucida, Portland, OR
2010 Juror, Lo-fi’ography, Sixth Street Gallery, Vancouver, WA
2009 Juror, Alternative Processes, PhotoPlace Gallery, Middlebury, VT
2008 Juror, Student Juried Exhibition, Hoffman Gallery, OCAC, Portland, OR
TEACHING
2014 Workshop Instructor, Acrylic Lifts for Photographers, Oregon College of Art & Craft, OR
2013 Workshop instructor, Acrylic Lift Demonstration, Newspace Center for Photography, OR
2013 MFA Photography Thesis Mentor, Academy of Art, San Francisco, CA
2013 Studio School Instructor, The Artful Process for Photographers, Oregon College of Art & Craft
2013 Workshop Instructor, Unconventional Photography, Oregon College of Art & Craft, OR
2012 Workshop Instructor, Acrylic Lifts, Amarillo College, Amarillo, TX
02-05 Workshop Instructor / Photography Teacher, Art Adventures, Oregon College of Art & Craft, Portland, OR
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
2022 Portfolio Reviewer, LACP Reviews, Los Angeles, CA
2021 Portfolio Reviewer, Click! Photo Fest, Portland, OR
2020 Portfolio Reviewer, Click! Photo Fest, Portland, OR
2019 Portfolio Reviewer, Photolucida, Portland, OR
2018 Portfolio Reviewer, Click! Photo Fest, Portland, OR
2017 Portfolio Reviewer, Click! Photo Fest, Portland, OR
2017 Portfolio Reviewer, Photolucida, Portland, OR
2016 Portfolio Reviewer, PhotoNola, New Orleans, LA
2015 Portfolio Reviewer, Photolucida, Portland, OR
2014 Curator, Your Daily Photograph, May 2014, 30 alt process photos, Duncan Miller Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
2013 Portfolio Reviewer, Photolucida, Portland, OR
2012 Portfolio Reviewer, PhotoNola, New Orleans, LA
2012 Portfolio Reviewer, Cannon Beach Photo Review, Cannon Beach, OR
2011 Portfolio Reviewer, Photolucida, Portland, OR
2011 Portfolio Reviewer, Atlanta Celebrates Photography, Portland, OR
2010 Portfolio Reviewer, PhotoNola, New Orleans, LA
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
2015-2019 Artists For Artist Photo Collective, Member / Web Guru, world wide web
2011-2013 Board Member, Co-Chair, Newspace Center for Photography, Portland, OR
RELATED BUSINESS / EMPLOYMENT
Owner / Publisher, One Twelve Publishing, LLC, Portland, OR (est. 2008)
--Podcast: The Diffusion Tapes, Host & Producer (2018-present)
--Print Titles: Diffusion annual, (2009-present), Contact by Jake Shivery (April 2015)
--One Twelve, onetwelvepublishing.com
--Plates to Pixels Gallery, platestopixels.com, worldwide web (2007–2017)
Photography/Videography/Design - Creative and Production Services, Kaiser Permanente Northwest (2006-present)
EDUCATION
BFA, Oregon College of Art & Craft, Photography, Portland, OR