We cultivate the study and appreciation of Joan Mitchell’s life and work while providing resources for visual artists.

About the Foundation

Joan Mitchell smiles and holds a cigarette, leaning against a railing, overlooking a lush landscape with trees and the river Seine. She is a white woman in her mid-50s, wearing sunglasses and a loose dress shirt, and has a shoulder length bob.
Joan Mitchell in Vétheuil, ca. 1980. Photographer unknown, Joan Mitchell Foundation Archives.

Joan Mitchell at 100

Throughout 2025, we are celebrating the centennial of Joan Mitchell’s birth with events, announcements, and programs aimed at increasing appreciation and study of the artist’s life and work, as well as amplifying the connections between her legacy and the work of living artists.

#JoanMitchell100

From the Journal

Ute Petit draws on a mixed media piece with a wooden frame, surrounded by art supplies and work in her studio. She is a Black woman with a medium skin tone. wearing an off the shoulder white shirt, a cross necklace and hoop earrings, with her dark hair pulled back in a bun.

In the Studio: Utē Petit

“In the United States, we don't live in a place where there's a lot of publicly ...

Leslie Smith sits at a table layered with canvas, in front of abstract panels, and two large speakers. He is a Black man with medium light skin tone and dark beard, and wears glasses, a cap, and a paint-splattered button-up.

Artists on Mitchell: Leslie Smith III

“I appreciate how Mitchell evokes sentiment in her paintings, and this is partly...

In the Studio: Kelsey Scult

“I have been interviewing elders across the state, about what intimacy means to ...

Our Vision

The Foundation supports research, scholarship, and exhibitions to ensure Joan Mitchell is widely recognized as a significant artist.

The Foundation’s grants, residencies, and related initiatives recognize artistic excellence and elevate a wide range of visual artists and practices. We work to actively expand the visual arts to better reflect the diverse world in which we live.

The Foundation serves as an evolving example and resource for how an artist’s generosity can impact future generations of artists.

More About Our Work