Meet Mariah Mitchell | Artist and curated

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mariah Mitchell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mariah, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
When I started out I just wanted to be an artist. It was really hard getting exposure and being accepted into gallery exhibits. After a while I decided to start putting together my own exhibits. Not just for myself but for other artist who also had problems being accepted by galleries. I wanted to create spaces and opportunities for all sorts of up and coming artists. This gives them to confidence and support to keep going. I know how easy it is to give up when things get tough. It gets discouraging. I throw exhibits for artist who need that push to get past the discouragement. I hope it really helps artist to keep going and feel supported.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve always loved art but never had the talent. One day I decided to put the work in and start perfecting the craft. It took me a while to find my own style. I specialize in black, white and grey portraits. Specifically couples because I have a passion in capturing love. Getting to where I am today took a lot of disappointment and perseverance. You get so many no’s before you get a yes. The first gallery I curated on my own didn’t go so well. Only about five people aside from the artist showed up. But I decided to take what I learned and try even harder the next go round. Since then I’ve curated four shows and each time they get better and better. I’ve wanted to give up so many times but am so glad I didn’t. It’s a learning experience and I’m so grateful so how far I’ve come.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was in town I would probably take them downtown Detroit. The water front is a nice place to visit. The museum’s and different events are always a good time. There are plenty of places to eat and hang out. There are also a few galleries to visit and murals to see around the city.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My shoutout would go to Griffin Garden. It was the first pop up shop I did when I started painting. There was so much support. It was also my first opportunity to curate. The summer of 2022 I was asked to curate “Art in the Garden”. It was such a success we made it an annual event. I will always be thankful for being able to be apart of the Griffin Garden community.

Instagram: https://instagram.com/riahs_canvas?igshid=MzMyNGUyNmU2YQ==