About
About Craig Mitchell — Nevada Artist & Block Printmaker
Art Inspired by the Nevada Landscape and the American West
For close to forty years, Nevada artist Craig Mitchell has devoted his work to the landscapes of the American West—its big skies, sagebrush plains, shifting desert light, the luminous blues of Lake Tahoe, and the rugged drama of the Sierra Nevada. His art is rooted in decades of plein air painting across Nevada and the broader West, and the hundreds of field studies he created during this time now serve as the inspiration for his hand-carved, hand-pulled block prints.
Working from these on-location paintings—captured in the desert, around Lake Tahoe, and throughout the Sierra—Craig designs, carves, inks, and prints each block print in his Reno, Nevada studio. These studies provide the true-to-life color, clarity, and atmosphere that define his Nevada landscape art and make each print a distinct expression of place.
From Plein Air Painter to Block Printmaker
Although Craig has long admired the work of Gustave Baumann, the German-born woodcut master known for his Southwestern landscapes, his own technique and visual language remain entirely his own. Rather than echo Baumann’s style, Craig embraces the enduring philosophy behind his work: “Draw directly on the block whatever you want, then cut away whatever you don’t want and print what is left.”
Guided by this simplicity and precision, Craig translates decades of plein air observations into bold, confident compositions that feel both contemporary and grounded in the traditions of Western landscape art.
Hand-Carved, Hand-Pulled Prints Rooted in Place
Each print is carved by hand from Craig’s drawings, inked with carefully mixed colors, and pulled one at a time on his press. Editions are intentionally small, and because future reprints are never guaranteed, every print holds its own rarity and collector appeal.
This makes Craig’s work especially valued among those seeking Nevada block prints, Lake Tahoe prints, and hand-crafted art inspired by the American West.
Craig’s block prints reflect a lifetime of exploration—from the high desert and the Great Basin to Lake Tahoe’s alpine clarity and the highest reaches of the Sierra. With a background in painting, illustration, and design—and decades as one of Northern Nevada’s most established fine artists—his work represents a rare blend of craftsmanship, observation, and a deep connection to the land. The result is a body of art that honors Nevada’s distinctive landscapes, upholds the tradition of hand-pulled printmaking, and contributes a uniquely Nevadan voice to the lineage of Western art.
The Artist Behind the Work
Craig has spent more than forty years immersed in the creative life, shaped as much by the landscapes around him as by the people and experiences that guided his path. A longtime resident of Nevada, he found his artistic footing early on, eventually studying advertising and design at the University of Nevada, Reno, where he graduated in 1986.
Before moving fully into fine art, Craig built a successful career as an illustrator and graphic designer, earning numerous awards during his decade in the commercial field. But painting—and eventually printmaking—remained his true calling. During the early months of COVID-19, he turned to block printing, a medium that quickly became a defining part of his studio practice and a natural extension of his lifelong love of drawing and craftsmanship.
Over the past three decades, Craig has become one of northern Nevada’s most established artists, with recognition from the Oil Painters of America and the National Parks Academy of the Arts. His work is included in several significant collections, including the Nevada Museum of Art, and he has continued his artistic training at institutions such as the Fechin Institute in Taos, New Mexico.
At the center of it all is a steady, personal connection to the region he calls home. Craig lives in Reno with his wife, Lori, and their dog, Daisy—continuing the quiet, daily rhythms of a life devoted to art.
Exhibitions
2019 High Desert Rendezvous
High Desert Museum, Bend, Oregon
2014 Painting The West
Stremmel Gallery, Reno, Nevada
2013 Painting The West
Stremmel Gallery, Reno, Nevada
2012 Open Space
Stremmel Gallery, Reno, Nevada
2009 Looking Forward Looking Back: The Collection In Context
Nevada Museum Of Art
2007 Tahoe Sierra Exhibition
Pogan Gallery, Lake Tahoe
2006 Acadia Invitational
Argosy Gallery, Acadia, Maine
2006 Lake Tahoe & High Sierra Exhibition
Pogan Gallery, Lake Tahoe
2005 Nevada Triennial Exhibition
Nevada Museum Of Art
2005 One Man Show
Pogan Gallery, Lake Tahoe
2005 Love Of The Land
Howard Mandeville Gallery, Kirkland, Washington
2005 Lake Tahoe & High Sierra Exhibition
Pogan Gallery, Lake Tahoe
2004 The Nevada Landscape
Nevada Museum Of Art
2004 Grand Opening Exhibition
Parkside Gallery, Carmel
2004 Oil Painters Of America Annual Exhibition
Howard Mandeville Gallery, Kirkland, Washington
2004 Lake Tahoe & High Sierra Exhibition
Pogan Gallery, Lake Tahoe
2003 Lake Tahoe & The Sierra Exhibition
Pogan Gallery, Lake Tahoe
2002 Lake Tahoe & High Sierra Exhibition
Pogan Gallery, Lake Tahoe
2002 Two Artist Show (with Jean Legassick)
Pogan Gallery, Lake Tahoe
2000 Oil Painters Of America Annual Exhibition
Gallery Americana, Carmel
2000 Arts For The Parks Top 200
National Park Academy Of The Arts, Jackson Hole, Wyoming
1999 Arts For The Parks Top 100
National Park Academy Of The Arts, Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Award For Excellence
1998 Oil Painters Of America Annual Exhibition
P & C Gallery, Washington, D.C.
1995 Arts For The Parks Top 200
National Park Academy Of The Arts, Jackson Hole, Wyoming
1995 Grand Opening Exhibition
Fig Tree Gallery, Patagonia, Arizona
1994 Nevada Biennial
Nevada Museum Of Art
1992 Dream Studio Competition
The Artist’s Magazine