About Craig Mitchell — Nevada and Lake Tahoe Artist

Art Rooted in the Landscapes of Nevada, Lake Tahoe, and the American West

My path here wasn't a straight line. I studied woodblock printing as a design student at the University of Nevada, Reno, then spent the next several decades on an entirely different route — advertising, illustration, and eventually twenty-five years painting outdoors across Nevada and the Sierra before ever picking a carving tool back up.

Along the way I built a body of field work that now numbers well over a thousand small paintings, made on location from the high desert to Lake Tahoe. Most were never meant to be anything more than studies. A handful, like a small piece called Buffalo Canyon, ended up becoming the starting point for something new entirely.

It was the pandemic, of all things, that sent me back to the block. What started as a way to pass the time in the studio became the foundation of the work I do today — each print still built from decades of paintings made in the field, carved by hand, inked in layers, and pulled one impression at a time.

Read the full story of how a college interest in printmaking became a life's work.

Background and Recognition

Craig Mitchell has spent more than forty years immersed in the creative life. A longtime resident of Nevada, he studied advertising and design at the University of Nevada, Reno, graduating in 1986. He went on to build a successful career in illustration and graphic design, earning numerous awards before turning his focus fully toward fine art.

Over the past three decades, Craig has become one of Northern Nevada’s most established artists. His work has been recognized by organizations such as the Oil Painters of America and the National Parks Academy of the Arts, and is included in several significant collections, including the Nevada Museum of Art. He has continued his artistic training at institutions such as the Fechin Institute in Taos, New Mexico.

During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Craig expanded his studio practice to include block printing, a medium that quickly became central to his work and a natural extension of his lifelong interest in drawing, design, and craftsmanship.

The Artist Today

Craig lives and works in Reno, Nevada, where he continues to create art inspired by the landscapes that surround him. His days are shaped by steady studio rhythms, field exploration, and a deep personal connection to the region he calls home. He shares his life with his wife, Lori, and their dog, Daisy.

Through his Nevada and Lake Tahoe art, Craig Mitchell offers collectors a lasting connection to the places that define the American West—interpreted through patience, craftsmanship, and a lifetime of looking closely.

Selected Exhibitions

Nevada Museum of Art
The Nevada Landscape (2004)
Nevada Biennial (1994)
Looking Forward, Looking Back: The Collection in Context (2009)

Stremmel Gallery, Reno, Nevada
Painting the West (2012, 2013, 2014)
Open Space (2012)

Pogan Gallery, Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe & High Sierra Exhibition (2002–2007)
One Man Show (2005)

National Park Academy of the Arts
Arts for the Parks Top 200 (1995, 2000)
Arts for the Parks Top 100 – Award for Excellence (1999)

Oil Painters of America Annual Exhibition
Selected Exhibitor (1998, 2000, 2004)