Published: Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011 / Updated: Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011 07:30 PM
Local artist will present painting workshop
TEGA CAY --
Award-winning artist Sybil Mitchell says as she approaches subjects, “they talk to me.” People also trigger her imagination in landscapes, watercolor, acrylic, oil or acrylic on canvas.
A resident of South Carolina for 32 years, she spent quarter of a century in Tega Cay before moving to Fort Mill seven years ago. Mitchell said her paintings reflect her own personal feelings.
Her brush blends in shadows, shapes, color, along with reflections, which have always been an attraction, whether it‘s on a lake or even a puddle in the road.
Currently she’s fine-tuning some of her work as she prepares to teach a workshop Jan. 3 for residents of the Four Seasons community, where she now resides. Twice a year she goes to Springmaid Beach to “practice” her work with other professionals.
“You have to practice art like any sport...it’s like a college homecoming,” she said.
Tega Cay’s Casual Water Restaurant recently featured “Lakeside Living” in watercolor, her favorite media. In the Glennon Community Center’s gallery is a vivid still life, “Squash,” and a painting of five fishermen on Oak Island, N.C., among others. Both shows were prepared by the Tega Cay Art League.
The Wayne Patrick Hospice house in Rock Hill offers comfort to families and patients where one of her oils on canvas hangs.
Mitchell enjoys teaching children and adults alike.
“In teaching,” she said, “you share knowledge of painting...in getting people to look at things differently. If you are interested, you don’t have to have talent.”
Her recent interest is collage, a pasted assemblage of different forms and shapes. Mitchell’s husband, Hugh, has always been the framer for many of her masterpieces.
Mitchell bas been the recipient of numerous honors from the Louisiana International Society, South Carolina Watercolor Society, Museum of York County, Charlotte Art League, Guild of Charlotte Artists and SC State Fair Art Exhibitions. Other juried exhibitions where she has shown include National Georgia, San Diego Watercolor Societies and other private and public collections.
Her formal art education is ongoing. She completed studies at Montgomery College in Maryland, the University of New York at Plattsburgh, UNC Pembroke in North Carolina and Winthrop University in Rock Hill.
When not painting, Mitchell’s favorite pastime is reading cookbooks. She has a lovely kitchen where she practices cuisine in front of a large work called “Reflections.”