Artist Statement: ALISON MITCHELL“I paint solely from life, from the objects themselves.  However as I paint, the objects lose their ‘real life function’ and become something other - a contrast between tones, an evocation of colour, the subtle nuance of a finely tuned composition and a play of light, always shifting, on the surface of solids and through the translucent.   The act of painting is like a dance to me; sometimes awkward, sometimes sublime. It is movement with the impulse to create a stilled image. Beyond the dance though, when my brushes are put down, there is a chance to connect with the viewer, to elicit a response, to evoke a meaning.”Alison Mitchell is a visual artist based near Riverton in rural South Australia, where she shares a studio building with her husband and fellow artist Robert Hannaford.  Self-taught, her work responds to the seasonal changes of her environment, is underpinned by a timeless tradition of careful observation from life and informed by her studies in anthropology, University of Adelaide, BA (Hons).Alison has exhibited nationally for over three decades and recently at the Arcadia Contemporary Gallery, New York. Her work is held in numerous private collections, both in Australia and overseas. She has been a three times finalist in the Portia Geach Memorial Award, as well as in other national art prizes including the 2023 Still: National Still Life Award, Coffs Harbour where she received a Judges commendation, as well as multiple times in the Eutick Memorial Still Life Award.  An ongoing project is her exhibition ‘Unlemon – a meandering tale of citrus’, which has been on a national tour of regional galleries courtesy of the Regional Arts Fund, since its inception in the Museum of Economic Botany, Adelaide Botanic Garden.2024 ‘One wild and precious past’ Solo exhibition May 5 – July 28  Hahndorf Academy, SA2023 ‘Unlemon  - a meandering tale of citrus’ regional national tour – Griffith Regional Gallery NSW, South Coast Regional Art Centre Goolwa SA, Rainmoth Gallery Waikerie SA, Riverton Light Gallery Riverton SA HillSmith ArtAdvisory group show –Mezzanine55 Kent Town SA Art Images Gallery – Solo show ‘…and other things’ The Parade, Norwood Adelaide SA Botanica de Materia Medica  selected exhibition, Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney NSW Selected finalist and Judges commendation - National STILL Life Art Award, YAM Coffs Harbour NSW Selected Finalist Tatiara Art Prize Walkway Gallery Bordertown SA2022 ‘Unlemon – a meandering tale of Citrus’ regional national tour -Bundaburg Regional Galleries Childers Art Space QLD -Mildura Arts Space VIC -Riddoch Gallery Mount Gambier SA Selected finalist – Heysen Landscape Prize Hahndorf Academy SA, & National Art Prize, Canberra2021 Group show - Arcadia Contemporary Gallery, The Broadway, New York Solo Exhibition – ‘Still- Water’ Hahndorf Academy, Hahndorf SA Joint Exhibition with Robert Hannaford - Hill Smith Art Advisory, Darling Building, Adelaide Selected finalist – Kennedy Art Prize, Adelaide SA Selected Finalist –Tatiara Art Prize, Walkway Gallery, Bordertown SA Selected Finalist – Centre for Creative Health Art Prize, Light Square gallery, Adelaide SA2020 “Unlemon – a  meandering tale of Citrus” - Museum of Economic Botany, Adelaide Botanic Garden Hill Smith Art Advisory online art exhibition2019 Hill Smith Gallery Exhibition - Still Life joint exhibition with Stephen Trebilcock Selected Finalist Eutick Memorial Still Life Art Prize (EMSLA)-Project Contemporary Artspace, Wollongong NSW2018 Solo Exhibition – ‘Still Even – Still’  Hahndorf Academy, Hahndorf SA Selected Finalist – Portia Geach Memorial Portrait Prize SH Ervin Gallery Sydney NSW Selected Finalist - Kennedy Art Prize SA Selected Finalist  - Fleurieu Art Prize SA2017 Finalist – Eutick Memorial Art Prize (EMSLA) – Project Contemporary Artspace, Wollongong NSW Finalist - Hills Art Prize - Hahndorf Academy SA Finalist - Tatiara Art Prize - Walkway Gallery, Bordertown SA Finalist – Whyalla Art Prize Middleback Arts Centre Whyalla SA Finalist - 2nd prize – Barossa Cook Exhibition - Barossa Regional Gallery Finalist – Kennedy Art Prize SA2016Hill Smith Gallery - Group Exhibition ‘Menagerie’ Selected Finalist – Heysen Landscape Prize, SA Selected Finalist - Portia Geach Memorial Portrait Prize SH Ervin Gallery NSW Finalist Fleurieu Art Prize – Food and Wine x 3. Judges Commendations for all 3 Entries Selected Finalist – Lethbridge10000 QLD Solo Exhibition Scenic Hotel Norton Summit SA SALA Festival Solo Exhibition Diggers – Adelaide Botanic Gardens, SALA Festival2015Semi Finalist Doug Moran Portrait Prize 2015 Finalist – Portia Geach Memorial Portrait Award The Advertiser SALA represented Artists exhibition, Advertiser Building, Adelaide Riverton Light Gallery ‘ By the Way’ joint exhibition with Robert Hannaford Solo Exhibition at Signal Point Regional Gallery Goolwa SA Curated exhibition ‘Embody’ Signal Point Gallery Goolwa SA Solo Exhibition at Diggers, Adelaide Botanic Gardens, Adelaide Fringe Festival2014Winner - Burra Regional Art Gallery SA - Art of the Garden Winner - People’s Choice – Burra Regional Art Gallery SA SALA Solo Exhibition Digger’s Adelaide Botanic Gardens2013Selected Finalist - Fleurieu Art Prize SA ‘on the shelf’ exhibition Berri Regional Art Gallery also toured to Burra and Waikerie SA Riverton Light Gallery Solo exhibition2011 – Selected Finalist and Judges commendation Heysen Still Life Art Prize SA Selected Finalist Fleurieu Art Prize Harvest II exhibition – Flinders Medical Centre Gallery SA