Meet Christian Mitchell | Painter, Art Director & Writer

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

Hi Christian, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
I ultimately find inspiration through horror itself. Whether it be art or film, horror has always been this big melting pot of processing the real world. There’s horror in youth, the body, your hometown, in belief, in what you’re taught, etc. and whenever I approach something I’m creating, I find it’s a reflection of something deeply personal that manifests into the most fantastical or grotesque version of it. That’s where I find the beauty.

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 started to find my groove a couple years into college in terms of what I wanted to represent myself as in terms of my art. I knew I wanted to speak to a very specific crowd, in my case, the queer community that resides in the south. I also knew I had to strike a balance, artistically, between film and visual art. In learning more about the craft of film, I was able to dig these cinematic stories out of myself that could then influence what I was doing with my paintings. I found I was creating this relationship between the two that I continue to expand on today. With my work, I never want it to be just work, especially if I’m going to send it out into the world with my name all over it and I won’t settle for something I’m not happy with. Just as horror does, I wanted to explore areas of fear and discomfort. Not just to create a disturbance, but to find something truly honest and to see the art I want to see in the world.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m really nostalgic for the places Ive spend with my friends most often. There’s a great artistic community in Carrollton and around the square. Corner cafe, Gallery Row, Underground Books and Vinyl Frontier are our usual spots to hit whenever we’re together. Of course if I had to recommend a theater, The Plaza in Atlanta is just a beautiful spot and they have a lot of great screenings worth checking out. Not the city, but if you ever find yourself in Blue Ridge, there’s a great knife shop that we love to frequent downtown if we’re ever out that way.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My High School art teacher, Carl Jordan. He was definitely my biggest mentor in my teen years and he pushed me to strive for more, not only in terms of success, but in my work as well. When it came to his advise, I always knew I could expect honesty and realism from him.

Instagram: @andchristianmitchell

Image Credits
Christian Mitchell