LeeAnn Mitchell, b. 1961, Memphis, Tennessee

LeeAnn Mitchell’s work has been included in over one hundred exhibitions with solo exhibitions at the Memphis Center for Contemporary Art, Zoller Gallery at Pennsylvania State University and the William J. Thompson Gallery at the University of Georgia. She has shown her installations, sculptures and paintings throughout the United States. She served as the Public Art Assistant for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Cultural Olympiad in 1996, was the Associate Curator for the University of Tennessee Sculpture Tour in Knoxville, Tennessee from 1987-1993 and has served as an independent curator for the Metal Museum in Memphis, Tennessee. From 1999-2006 she served as Central Office Executive Director for the Artist-Blacksmith’s Association of North America, Inc.

She is President and CEO of LeeAnn Mitchell Arts, Inc., a professional company dedicated to managing individuals, projects and organizations in the arts and crafts, with a particular focus in metal. LeeAnn works and resides in Farmington, Georgia with her husband and fellow sculptor Jim Buonaccorsi and their dog Sparky Jones.

1880 Old Salem Road, Watkinsville, GA 30677      706.769.9556      706.769.1661 fax      sculpto@mindspring.com

ONE PERSON EXHIBITIONS

2001    The View From Here, William J. Thompson Gallery, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.

1997    all fall down..., an installation, Robert Lowery Gallery, Watkinsville, Georgia.

1991    The State of Grace, Greater Reston Arts Center, Reston, Virginia.

1990    Four Corners, Memphis Center for Contemporary Art, Memphis, Tennessee.

1988    Double Feature, Zoller Gallery, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania.

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2010    Sculpture at Six Mile, Granite City, Illinois.

            Georgia Small Works, juried exhibition, Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation, Watkinsville, Georgia.

            The Mother Show III, Visionary Growth Gallery, Danielsville, Georgia.

            Members’ Exhibition, Artist-Blacksmiths’ Association of North America, International Conference, The Agri-Center, Memphis, Tennessee.

            Iron: Forged, Tempered, Quenched, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, Texas.

2009    Oh Kaos, Flood Gallery Fine Art Center, Asheville, North Carolina.

            the new steel_v2, The Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee.

            Imagillaboration: Collaborative Sculpture Project, a collaboration of 106 professional artists from 26 states. This ongoing project is coordinated by Michael Cottrell of Florida Community College at Jacksonville, Florida.

                    Georgia Perimeter College, Atlanta Georgia, Clarkston and Dunwoody Campuses

                    SPACE 301 Gallery, Mobile Alabama

                    New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas New Mexico, October 2009

2008    Contemporary Cast Iron II, The Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee.

            The Anti-War Medals Show, Shaw Contemporary Jewelry, Northeast Harbor, Maine.

            Castings, an SPH Group Exhibition, Flood Gallery Fine Art Center, Asheville, North Carolina.

            Art on the Green, invitational group exhibition of outdoor sculpture, The Kemp Art Center, Wichita Falls, Texas. Jurors: Gregory Elliott and Willie Ray Parish.

            Faculty Exhibition, The Penland School of Craft, Penland, North Carolina.

2007    The Anti-War Medals Show, Gallery I/O – Thomas Mann Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana.

            Iron Tribe 2007, Invitational Exhibition, Burris Hall Gallery of Art, New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, New Mexico.

            Southworks 2007, National Juried Exhibition, Oconee County Cultural Arts Foundation, Watkinsville, Georgia.

            Iron Et Cetera, Ironton Studios and Gallery, Denver, Colorado.

2006    USM Sculpture Symposium Exhibition, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

            Memorial Sculpture Garden, Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation, Watkinsville, Georgia.

2005    Iron Tribe 2005, Invitational Exhibition, Burris Hall Gallery of Art, New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, New Mexico

            Southworks 2005, National Juried Exhibition, Oconee County Cultural Arts Foundation, Watkinsville, Georgia.

2004    I Used to Work Here, Director’s Invitational, The Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee.

            Hot Topic: A Contemporary Invitational, University of Nebraska at Kearney, Kearney, Nebraska.

            Synthesis: New Work By the Georgia Sculptors’ Society, Athens Institute for Contemporary Art, Inc., Athens, Georgia.

            Overview: Works From the ABANA Membership, The Giles Gallery, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, Kentucky.

2003    Southworks 2003, National Juried Exhibition, Oconee County Cultural Arts Foundation, Watkinsville, Georgia.

2002    Raw Womyn, Athens Institute for Contemporary Art, Inc., Athens, Georgia.

            Mail Box Art, Oconee County Cultural Arts Foundation, Watkinsville, Georgia.

            Penland Summer Faculty Exhibition, The Penland School of Crafts, Penland, North Carolina.

2001    Louisiana State University Sculpture Garden, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

            Members’ Open Exhibit, Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation, Watkinsville, Georgia.

2000    Collaborative Couples, The Georgia Museum of Art, Athens, Georgia.

            Ironing: Women’s Work, invitational group exhibition, The National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee.

            Artscape Oconee, sponsored by the Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation, collaborative outdoor art sign project with Jim Buonaccorsi, Highway 441, Farmington, Georgia.

            Georgia Sculptors’ Society, The Robert Lowery Gallery, Danielsville, Georgia.

1999    4 from 3: The Southern Aesthetic Installed, The University Art Museum, The University of Southwestern Louisiana, Lafayette, Louisiana.

            Penland Summer Faculty Exhibition, The Penland School of Crafts, Penland, North Carolina.

            Ten Hands: A Celebration of Individual Expression Through Drawing, Ballroom Studios, Atlanta, Georgia.

1998    Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, The University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee.

            Not Anointed, two-person exhibition, State University of West Georgia, Carrollton, Georgia.

1997    Reunion, group exhibition, The National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee.

            Faculty Exhibition, The Atlanta College of Art, Woodruff Arts Center, Atlanta, Georgia.

            Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation Members Exhibition, The Lyndon House, Athens, Georgia.

1996    Ultra Retro Media Torch, ARC Gallery, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

            Faculty Exhibition, The Atlanta College of Art, Woodruff Arts Center, Atlanta, Georgia.

            Lincoln Park Sculpture Garden, group exhibition, Springfield, Illinois.

            All Over the Place, two-person exhibition, ISIS Gallery, University of Notre Dame, South Bend Indiana.

            Ultra Retro Media Torch, Contemporary Arts Center in Shreveport, Louisiana.

            MASS Art, outdoor sculpture exhibition, Green Hill Center for North Carolina Arts, Greensboro, North Carolina.

            Ultra Retro Media Torch, The Douglass School Art Place, Murphysboro, Illinois.

            Ultra Retro Media Torch, group exhibition, The William J. Thompson Gallery, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.

            Just Another Election Year, Robert Lowery Gallery, Watkinsville, Georgia.

            Pig Iron: Art Cookers, A Sanctioned Twentieth Anniversary Memphis in May International Festival, Inc., Event. The National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee.

            Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina.

1995    Faculty Exhibition, The Atlanta College of Art, Woodruff Arts Center, Atlanta, Georgia.

            The Orlando National, juried competition, Gaier Contemporary Gallery, Orlando, Florida.

            Suwanee, an outdoor installation with the fifth grade art club, Suwanee Elementary School, Suwanee, Georgia.

            2D + 3D: a creative adventure, group exhibition, Lowery Gallery, Watkinsville, Georgia.

1994    Sculpture Tour 1994-95, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan.

            The 621 Sculpture Garden, Tallahassee, Florida.

            Georgia Sculptors Society, group exhibition, The 621 Gallery, Tallahassee, Florida.

            Georgia Sculptors Society, group exhibition, Ameen Art Gallery, Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, Louisiana.

            Sculpture Garden III, Chattanooga State Technical Community College, Chattanooga, Tennessee.

            Windows of the Dream, public art collaboration with Barbara Bullock, Main Street and Madison, Memphis, Tennessee, Sponsored by NUMBER: A Visual Arts Magazine.

            Sculpture Garden II '93-'94- Chattanooga State Technical Community College, Chattanooga, Tennessee.

1992    Radford University Sculpture Purchase Competition, Radford University, Radford, Virginia.

            First Annual Rhoneymeade Outdoor Sculpture Invitational, Centre Hall, Pennsylvania.

            The Red Wagon Invitational, The PAC Gallery and Anchor Graphics, Chicago, Illinois.

            I Love It, What is it?, Ultra Media, The Ewing Gallery of Art & Architecture, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee.

1991    National Sculpture Exhibition, DeLand Museum of Art, DeLand, Florida.

            The Louisiana Sculpture Tour, Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport, Louisiana.

            Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, University of North Carolina, Asheville, North Carolina.

            I Love It, What is it?, Ultra Media, Zoller Gallery, The Pennsylvania State University,State College, Pennsylvania.

            Art Against the War, Artists' Television Access Gallery, San Francisco, California.

            EXPLOIT/EXPOSE-WHY WAR?, B-4 ART, 510 Broadway, New York, New York.

            EXPLOIT/EXPOSE-WHY WAR?, Kentler International Drawing Space, Brooklyn, New York.

            Mixed Signals, traveling portfolio of prints, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee.

            Sculpture Garden I, Chattanooga State Technical Community College, Chattanooga, Tennessee.

1990    The Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition, Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina.

            Eighth Annual Brooklyn Waterfront Artist's Coalition Outdoor Sculpture Show, Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park, Brooklyn, New York.

            Partners of the Americas, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Art Faculty: Centro de Bellas Artes, Maracaibo, Venezuela; Museo de Barquisimeto; Barquisimeto, Venezuela; Galeria Arte Hoy; Caracas, Venezuela.

            Sculpture Tour 1990/91, Cleveland State Community College, Cleveland, Tennessee.

            Sculpture Tour 1990/91, Walters State Community College, Morristown, Tennessee.

1989    Mental/Metal, The National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee.

            Sculpture Tour '89, Walters State Community College, Morristown, Tennessee.

            Ceramics in Tennessee, Four Views, Appalachian Center for the Crafts, Smithville, Tennessee.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

1999-2011  

            President and CEO, LeeAnn Mitchell Arts, Inc., Farmington, Georgia. LAM Arts, Inc. is a professional company dedicated to managing projects and organizations in the arts and crafts, with a

            particular interest in metal. Primary client was The Artist-Blacksmith’s Association of North America, Inc., Farmington, Georgia. LAM Arts, Inc. maintains the administrative operations for the

            ABANA Central Office and ABANA Biennial Conferences. ABANA is a non-profit organization dedicated to the art and craft of blacksmithing and maintains a membership of 5,000 members world

            wide.

2008    Faculty, The Penland School of Crafts, “Mental Metal – Studio Edition”, Eight Week Concentration, Penland, North Carolina

            1994-2009   

            Director / co-founder, sculpto-WERKS. An independent organization devoted to professional curatorial consultation of interior and exterior sculpture for both private and public clients, as well as full

            service installation assistance, rigging and transportation of large-scale sculpture.

2002    Faculty, The Penland School of Crafts, “Steel Fabrication for Outdoor Sculpture”, Public Art Session, Penland, North Carolina

1999    Faculty, The Penland School of Crafts, “Mixed-Media Outdoor Sculpture”, Public Art Session, Penland, North Carolina

1999    Adjunct Faculty, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida.

1999-2001   

            Curator, Special Projects, The National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee.

1994-1998   

            Adjunct Faculty, Sculpture Department, The Atlanta College of Art, Atlanta, Georgia.

1997    Adjunct Faculty, Lamar Dodd School of Art, Sculpture Area, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia. Fall quarter.

1996    Public Art Assistant, The Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Cultural Olympiad, Atlanta, Georgia. Assisted with the planning, installation and crew management for: "High Rise of Trees",

            Vito Acconci; "Halo", Deborah Butterfield; "Apostasy", Kristin Jones & Andrew Ginzel; "Diaspora's Spirit, Pause Here, Sanctuary Awaits", Betye Saar; "Atlantic", Yukinori Yanagi. Served as

            installation project manager for installation of "World Events", Tony Cragg.

1996    Client: Dennis Peacock, project management for "Other (Voices)", permanent commissioned outdoor sculpture for Winston-Salem State University through the N.C. Artworks for State Building

            Program. Also transported and assisted with installation of companion retrospective "Dennis Peacock: With Roots in the Recognizable", Diggs Gallery, W.S.S.U., Winston- Salem, North Carolina.

1987-1993   

            Administrative Assistant/Associate Curator, The University of Tennessee, Sculpture Tour. Organizational skills, administrative responsibilities, grant writing, knowledge of contemporary sculpture,

            public relations, the ability to guide tours (ages K-senior citizen), workshops, fabrication situations and lectures. Installation of large outdoor sculpture and a knowledge of sculptural materials and

            application.

1983    Administrative Assistant, The National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee.

CONSULTANT/CURATOR/JUROR

2007    Juror, The New Steel, National juried exhibition of metal work held in conjunction with “Directions Unknown”, the annual conference for The Society of North American Goldsmiths. Exhibition was held at The Power House, Memphis, Tennessee. Co Juror, Suzanne Pugh.

            Coordinator, Blacksmithing with a Southern Accent: Metalwork from the Southeast, The exhibition was held at the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center, Madison, Georgia and The Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee.

2005    Co-Cuartor, Contemporary Cast Iron, The Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee. Co-curator, Jim Buonaccorsi.

2004    Co-Cuartor, Metal on My Mind, Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation, Watkinsville, Georgia. Co-curator, Jim Buonaccorsi.

2002    Coordinator, Forging Traditions, ABANA 2002 Juried Exhibition, The Pump House Regional Arts Center, La Crosse, Wisconsin.

2000    Curator, Art Cookers 2000, The National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee.

1999    Curatorial Assistant, Forging Character, Forging Iron: The Work of Thomas F. Googerty, The National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee.

1998    Co-curator, Mental Bluff: An Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, The National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee.

1993    Consultant, Sculpture South '94, South Carolina State Museum, Columbia, South Carolina.

            Curator, 8' Ceilings, The Old City, Knoxville, Tennessee.

            Consultant, Walker & Company, Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, Reston, Virginia.

1992    Consultant, Shreveport Regional Arts Council, N.E.A. Public Art Projects, hosted by Louisiana State University, Shreveport, Louisiana.

            Consultant, Sculpture Tour, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan.

1991    Guest Curator, Mental/Metal Squared, The National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee.

            Consultant, Louisiana Sculpture Tour Symposia, Centenary College, Shreveport, Louisiana.

            Consultant, The Greater Reston Arts Center, Reston Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, Reston, Virginia.

            Advisory Board Member, NUMBER, a visual arts magazine, Memphis, Tennessee.

            Consultant for Chattanooga State Technical Community College, Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, Chattanooga, Tennessee.

1989    Guest Curator, Mental/Metal, The National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee.

            Consultant, Walters State Community College, Artistic Harmonic Convergence II, Morristown, Tennessee.

EDUCATION

1986    M.F.A. in Sculpture, with Honors. University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado.

1983    B.A. in Art History, with Honors. University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee.

GUEST LECTURES

2008    “The Penland School for the Crafts”, Penland, North Carolina.

2006    “Contemporary Blacksmithing, Casting and My Stuff”, University of Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

2002    “The Penland School for the Crafts”, Penland, North Carolina.

2000    “Is Sculpture Dead”, panel discussion member, The Contemporary, Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, Atlanta, Georgia. Moderator: Helena Reckitt; Education Director, The Contemporary;  Panel members: Linda Armstrong, sculptor, Glenn Harper, editor, Sculpture Magazine.

1999    “Penland School for the Crafts”, Penland, North Carolina.

1998    State University of West Georgia, Carrollton, Georgia.

1996    Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan.

            University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana.

1995    The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.

1994    The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee.

            The University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado.

            The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.

1993    The Mississippi University for Women, Columbus, Mississippi.

1991    University of North Carolina, Asheville, Asheville, North Carolina.

            The Greater Reston Arts Center, Reston, Virginia.

1990    Vanderbilt University, Art Department, Nashville, Tennessee.

            The University of Memphis-Sculpture Department, Memphis, Tennessee.

1989    Appalachian Center for the Crafts, Smithville, Tennessee.

HONORS/ACTIVITIES/GRANTS

1995    Georgia Council in the Arts, Artist in Education Partnership, Technical Assistance Grant, funding to realize a collaborative outdoor sculpture with the art club at Suwanee Elementary School, Suwanee, Georgia.

1993    "Windows of the Dream", a public art project funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, The Lyndhurst Foundation and the Tennessee Arts Commission.

1990    South Central Bell/Tennessee Council for the Humanities, honorarium for an outdoor sculpture for Summer Ideas, Jefferson County High School, Jefferson City, Tennessee.

HONORS/ACTIVITIES/GRANTS

1987    Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado.

1986    University of Colorado Doctoral Fellowship, Boulder, Colorado.

COLLECTIONS

Eric Rohm & Amy Hockett, Charlotte, North Carolina.

Jon Brooks, New Boston, New Hampshire.

The Penland School of Craft, Penland, North Carolina.

The National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee.

The Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation, Watkinsville, Georgia.

Cynthia Bringle, Penland, North Carolina.

Edwina Bringle, Penland, North Carolina.

Steve Tengelsen, Penland, North Carolina.

Tom & Kathleen Lamar, Hillsborough, California.

Jerry Kagele, Spokane, Washington.

Sandra & Bruce Kirkman, Atlanta, Georgia.

Suwanee Elementary School, Suwanee, Georgia.

Knoxville Museum of Art, Knoxville, Tennessee.

University of Tennessee, Department of Art, Knoxville, Tennessee.

Walters State Community College, Morristown, Tennessee.

Audrone Kirschner, Watkinsville, Georgia.