Today we’d like to introduce you to Mitch Hatten
Hi Mitch, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’m a self-taught mixed media artist based in Minnesota by way of Kansas City, MO. I’ve been on and off with making art throughout my life, freelancing in newspaper cartoons, architectural illustrations, and even tattoo design. I made the commitment to establish a consistent sketching practice the past couple years and refine my style.
My focus is primarily expressive figure drawing, with the subject most often being animals or people, but sometimes architecture as well. I enjoy portraying the motion and energy of a subject or scene and find that the boldness of lines combined with a simple pallet allows me to capture subjects the way I see them.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The hardest part has been making a habit of working on art projects and consistently practicing. I took a long time off in my twenties and much of that was because I got busy with other things in life. It can also be tough dealing with rejection when I put my work out there for exhibitions, galleries, etc. and don’t get accepted or hear back.. But it’s great practice for handling that type of situation and I’m going to keep creating things regardless of whether they get shown.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I make 2D visual art with all kinds of different media. I’m partial to any medium where I can push and pull values and shapes and this often ends up being things like acrylics, charcoal, or pastels. I get lost in the process of creating forms from chaotic marks and I’d say that I’m most known for figurative work done in an impressionistic style. I find a lot of inspiration from jazz musicians and athletes and really like conveying emotion and motion in my work. I’m most proud of finding my own artistic voice over these past couple years and finding the courage to put my work out there. After winning art battle Minneapolis and having people buy my work and give such positive feedback, it feels good to make something people connect with.
What are your plans for the future?
I hope to continue making work daily and working with more galleries and exhibitions to get my work out there. Having my own solo exhibition is a big goal of mine and I’m hoping one day when I retire from my day job art will be my main focus.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mitchhattenart.com/
- Instagram: @mitchhattenart
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554429335332&mibextid=LQQJ4d
