Foundation History

In October 1992, Joan Mitchell passed away in Paris. Continuing the generosity she showed to other artists during her lifetime, Mitchell’s will called for the creation of a foundation to “aid and assist” working artists and serve as the chief steward of her legacy. These two distinct yet intertwining components of Mitchell’s life and vision have remained at the core of the Joan Mitchell Foundation’s mission, driving all of our work. We see the Foundation as a gift from one artist to many artists.

Since its inception, the Foundation has worked through several distinct phases of focus, each defined by the need to find balance between the Foundation’s dual purposes, setting a trajectory of sustaining our mission-based work into the future. We offer this overview of the Foundation’s evolution as a case study for other foundations and an affirmation of the power of artists and their legacies.

Artist Joan Mitchell leaning on a stool in front of 2 large paintings — Joan Mitchell in her Vétheuil studio, 1983. Photograph by Robert Freson, Joan Mitchell Foundation Archives. © Joan Mitchell Foundation.

1993-2003: Formation & Start Up Phase

In accordance with Mitchell’s will, the Joan Mitchell Foundation was incorporated in New York City in 1993 by Mitchell’s attorney and executor of her estate, John Somers. Over the next ten years, Mitchell’s estate was in a protracted settlement process. As with many artist-endowed foundations, the Joan Mitchell Foundation’s operating model uses funds from strategic sales of artworks in the Foundation’s collection to grow an investment portfolio and support mission-driven work.

While Mitchell’s estate was being settled, the Foundation began its work with modest resources. Carolyn Somers, the daughter of John Somers, led the Foundation in establishing its charitable purpose and through a subsequent decade of programmatic growth. This period was centered on start up and programmatic goals, as the board and staff considered what meaningful support for artists should be, as an extension of Mitchell’s life and legacy. In these early years, defining new programs also laid the groundwork for the Foundation’s core values: a commitment to equity, being artist-centered, and embodying a spirit of generosity.

Milestones from 1993–2003

1993

Formation of the Foundation’s first Board of Directors

1994

Composite image of 16 artists standing in front of a Joan Mitchell painting — Inaugural group of Painters & Sculptors Grant recipients.

Eighteen artists are selected for the first Painters & Sculptors Grants, each receiving unrestricted awards of $10,000 to further their artistic practices and careers. With the goal of identifying artists from diverse backgrounds who are making extraordinary work in the fields of painting and sculpture, each year the Foundation invites a national pool of nominators to recommend applicants for this grant. Grantees are selected by an outside jury, with special attention to artists who are deserving of greater recognition on a national level.

A large abstract diptych painting by Joan Mitchell installed on white wall of Museum of Modern Art. — *No Rain* installed at the Museum of Modern Art.

The Estate of Joan Mitchell gifts four significant Mitchell paintings to The Museum of Modern Art: Grandes Carrières (ca. 1962), No Rain (1976), Wood, Wind, No Tuba (1979), and Untitled (1963).

1996

A large sphere made of a patchwork of beige-brown upholstery foam, with an overlaid textured bullseye — *Tiro al Blanco* by Raymond Saa, MFA Grant Recipient

Foundation introduces a second grant program, the MFA Grants, to recognize promising artists and support their transition out of graduate education. Artists in the final year of MFA programs are nominated by a national network of professors. Awards are selected through a jury process.

1997

Book cover with abstract diptych painting and words "Joan Mitchell, Klaus Kertess" — Joan Mitchell by Klaus Kertess, 1997

Curator Klaus Kertess’ monograph on Mitchell is published by Harry N. Abrams, with the support of Mitchell’s Estate.

An artist teacher drawing on paper with a youth observing the technique — Artist-Teacher and young artist during Saturday Studios.

Foundation begins the Art Education Program to serve New York City youth, with Saturday classes taught by working artists at community centers throughout the city.

2001

Foundation steps forward to provide financial support to New York artists who suffered studio losses from the September 11 attacks.

Various papers and posters on a table, including visible text "Joan Mitchell" and "9th St. Exhibition" — Papers and posters in the Joan Mitchell Foundation Archives

2004-2014: A Decade of Expansion & Innovation

In 2004, Mitchell’s estate was settled and the Foundation received the bulk of its artwork collection, along with Mitchell’s archives, inclusive of student work, photos, letters, and personal objects. The Foundation expanded its staff accordingly to enable projects related to collections management. With the art collection in its possession, the Foundation began loaning artworks to museum exhibitions and worked with Cheim & Read on numerous exhibitions of Mitchell’s work. Increased revenue from artwork sales ushered in a decade of profound organizational growth, as the Foundation deepened and expanded its support for individual artists and began to fund organizations supporting visual artists nationally.

This period was marked by an interest in being creative and innovative in the Foundation’s programs for artists, with a willingness to venture into new areas of support as needs dictated—an approach inspired by artistic practices and what it means to sustain a lifetime of creativity.

Milestones from 2004–2014

2005

A painting with various collaged details including a bottle with dark ginseng root, a drawing of a hand with blood dripping into a bottle, label reading $3.35, and pinned pink note — *Ginseng Extract* by Renee Stout, 2005 Painters & Sculptors Grant Recipient.

Painters & Sculptors Grants increase to 25 grants of $25,000 per artist.

Rontherin Ratliff, a Black man with medium skin tone and long black dreadlocks, sits in a round opening of an assemblage made from reused distressed housing materials — Rontherin Ratliff, Emergency Grant Recipient © Reginald Eldridge, Jr.

In response to Hurricane Katrina, the Foundation formally establishes Emergency Grants to provide direct financial support to artists re-establishing their practices after a disaster. More than 80 Gulf Coast artists receive grants of up to $6,000.

People interacting with art exhibit: two figures on ladders against wall with text on it, and two figures seated at library table — Participants contributing to Mel Chin’s “F.R.E.E. (Fundred Reserve Even Exchange) Bank of America, L.I.C.” at *How Much Do I Owe You?* exhibition by Organizational Grant Recipient No Longer Empty.

Foundation launches Organizational Grants, providing funding to arts organizations nationally that support visual artists in their communities, with an emphasis on ongoing support to organizations in New Orleans.

2007

Composite image of 4 artist portraits in a grid, Mildred Howard, Elemore Morgan, Jr., Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, and Freddy Rodriguez — Clockwise from top left: Mildred Howard, Elemore Morgan, Jr., Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, and Freddy Rodriguez

In an effort to support studio documentation and legacy planning for older artists, the Foundation launches the Creating a Living Legacy (CALL) initiative with grants and hands-on assistance to four pilot artists.

2007 - 2008

A person in an apron uses a glue gun on a piece of fabric held in the hands of another person. — jumpstART artists preparing work for exhibition at CUE Foundation.

Art Education Program launches two teen programs: the jumpstART studio intensive program, pairing arts education with professional development training in partnership with CUE Art Foundation (2008-2016), and the Summer Portfolio Intensive, focusing on college art applications and preparation.

2010

A banner on a streetlight advertises "Joan Mitchell in New Orleans" exhibitions with a photo of Joan Mitchell

Foundation organizes a symposium on Joan Mitchell in New Orleans, concurrent with Mitchell exhibitions at Newcomb Art Gallery at Tulane University, the New Orleans Museum of Art, and the Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans.

Two legacy specialists working in studio, surrounded by artwork storage furniture and lighting apparatus — Legacy Specialists working with CALL Database in the studio of Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, 2012

CALL initiative develops a Legacy Specialist curriculum, offering training on best practices to support artist studio organization, inventory management, and archiving. This group of knowledgeable and qualified artists become available to assist their peers and the field.

The main house of the Joan Mitchell Center, a blue creole cottage house with a large front porch and blue shutters

To complement its grant programs and deepen its relationships with artists, the Foundation purchases 2275 Bayou Road in New Orleans as future site of the Joan Mitchell Center artist residency program.

2012

Foundation concludes MFA Grant program, reflecting a desire for the program to reach artists from a broader range of backgrounds and artistic experiences.

Foundation works to seed CALL programs nationally by awarding grants to four artist-centered organizations to adapt the CALL model for artists in their communities: Artist Trust (Seattle, WA), Bronx Council on the Arts (Bronx, NY), DiverseWorks (Houston, TX), and Space One Eleven (Birmingham, AL).

Cover image of the CALL Career Documentation workbook, with the book title and an image of Joan Mitchell.

Foundation publishes first edition of the CALL Career Documentation Guide, reflecting a commitment to making the CALL program’s legacy planning tools accessible to all artists.

2013

Joan Mitchell quadriptych painting Minnesota, a photo of young Joan Mitchell, and an open book of poetry. — Installation views of *Minnesota* and papers and photographs from the Joan Mitchell Foundation Archives at the Poetry Foundation.

Foundation co-organizes symposium and exhibition Joan Mitchell: At Home in Poetry at Poetry Foundation, Chicago, Illinois.

2014

Executive Director Carolyn Somers departs after more than 20 years with the Foundation.

Cover image of the CALL Estate Planning, with the book title and an image of Joan Mitchell.

Foundation partners with Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston to release the Estate Planning Workbook for Visual Artists.

Artist Tomie Arai and Kay Takeda face a large diptych painting by Joan Mitchell in David Zwirner gallery — Artist Tomie Arai and staff Kay Takeda with Joan Mitchell's *Rivière*, installed at David Zwirner New York

2015-Present: Strengthening Focus, Ensuring Sustainability

In its first two decades, the Foundation’s commitment to supporting artists at all career stages inspired a robust range of programs. When Christa Blatchford stepped into the role of director in 2015, board and staff leadership took a step back to consider the scale of the Foundation’s charitable work in relation to its sustainability. The Board and leadership carefully examined the Foundation’s roster of programs, with an eye toward clarity of vision, alignment with the priorities Mitchell set forth for the Foundation, and ensuring the Foundation’s stability in perpetuity. This led to the closing of the Art Education Program and refocusing of grant programs to affirm the Foundation's focus on unrestricted support for individual artists.

During this period, the Foundation’s board and leadership also developed a vision for Mitchell’s legacy in the next decade. The Foundation launched the Joan Mitchell Catalogue Raisonné as an independent research project and deepened staff skill-sets in the areas of collections and archives management, database development, conservation, and research.

Milestones from 2015–Present

2015

Studios at dusk - a modern siding-clad one-story building with four peaked studio roofs with warm light glowing from the skylights. — Joan Mitchell Center studio building.

Official opening of Joan Mitchell Center in New Orleans. With ten studios and lodging for eight, the Center offers time and space for creative development and risk-taking, as well as opportunities to connect with fellow artists, arts professionals, and the vibrant New Orleans cultural community. Local artists and artists who have previously received grants from the Foundation are eligible to apply for one- to five-month residencies.

A close-up detail of Joan Mitchell painting titled Ladybug, showing brushstrokes in green, drips of paint and artist signature — Detail of Joan Mitchell's Ladybug, 1957

Foundation establishes the Joan Mitchell Catalogue Raisonné, an independent project researching Mitchell’s paintings for an eventual scholarly publication documenting all of the artist’s painted work.

Installation view of *Joan Mitchell Retrospective: Her Life and Paintings* at Kunsthaus Bregenz. © Markus Tretter

Foundation supports Joan Mitchell retrospective at Kunsthaus Bregenz in Austria. The exhibition travels to the Museum Ludwig in Germany.

Foundation begins partnering with VoCA (Voices in Contemporary Art) to produce an annual series of in-depth interviews with artists who participated in the CALL program, recognizing the artist's voice as essential to the understanding of their practice and legacy. CALL/VoCA Talks are typically presented publicly, with edited video recordings available online and preserved with full transcripts at the NYU Fales Library.

2015 - 2016

Foundation pilots Emerging Artist Grants over two years, awarding $12,000 to 10 recipients annually from across the U.S. The program concludes after its second year to focus grantmaking on Painters & Sculptors Grants, as inclusive of emerging and established artists.

2016

Foundation concludes the Arts Education Program and its grants to arts organizations, re-focusing on direct support to individual artists through unrestricted grants, residencies, and professional development.

2017 - 2019

Group of young artists in a gallery space with artwork behind them

Foundation pilots Early Art Practitioners programs over three years, with residencies and professional development opportunities tailored to artists under the age of 26.

2018

Open CALL workbooks, showing text and photographs

Foundation partners again with Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston to release Estate Planning for Visual Artists: A Workbook for Attorneys & Executors.

View of two Joan Mitchell's artworks installed in large white walled gallery — Installation view of *Joan Mitchell: I carry my landscapes around with me* at David Zwirner, New York.

Foundation shifts gallery representation to David Zwirner.

2019

Bracket, 1989, abstract painting by artist Joan Mitchell — Joan Mitchell, *Bracket*, 1989. Oil on canvas, 102 1/2 x 181 7/8 inches (260.35 x 461.963 cm). © Estate of Joan Mitchell.

Foundation supports research for Joan Mitchell retrospective, co-organized by Baltimore Museum of Art and SFMOMA, and accompanying catalogue.

2020 - 2021

Foundation responds to COVID-19 pandemic's devastating impact on artists by reallocating and increasing 2020 Emergency Grants budget, providing over $1 million in relief funding to Foundation-affiliated artists and coalition efforts: Artist Relief, a national COVID-19 response fund for artists in all disciplines, and Creative Response, a New Orleans-based relief effort.

To ensure artists can safely utilize space and access residency opportunities at the Joan Mitchell Center during the pandemic, Foundation shifts the program for Fall 2020 and all of 2021 to a hybrid virtual/in-person residency, focusing on private studio space and virtual professional development solely for New Orleans-based artists. By temporarily converting lodging spaces typically used by visiting resident artists to additional studios, the Foundation nearly doubles the number of artists who can have residencies at any given time.

2021

Foundation re-envisions and expands annual Painters & Sculptors Grants into a multi-year fellowship model: the Joan Mitchell Fellowship. The Fellowship annually provides 15 artists based in the U.S. with unrestricted funds of $60,000 each, distributed over the course of five years with integrated professional development and community-building activities. The inaugural group of Joan Mitchell Fellows is announced in October.

Artist Wojciech Gilewicz carrying a large abstract painting — Wojciech Gilewicz, 2012 Emergency Grant Recipient, © Reginald Eldridge, Jr.

To dedicate funding and staffing resources necessary for the new Fellowship program, Foundation concludes Emergency Grants for individual artists, while remaining responsive to large-scale emergencies affecting the artist community. From 2005-2019, these grants of up to $6,000 helped more than 300 individual artists recover material losses from natural disasters.

2021 - 2023

Two figures approach a large blue wall with text "Joan Mitchell" and large photograph of Joan Mitchell leaning on railing above the Seine River — Opening of retrospective at SFMOMA, photo by Jean Shin

Joan Mitchell, a comprehensive retrospective bringing together an array of Mitchell's paintings and drawings, premieres at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) on September 4. The exhibition continues at SFMOMA through January 17, 2022, then travels to Baltimore Museum of Art (March 6 – August 14, 2022) and later to Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris (October 5, 2022 – February 27, 2023).

2022

The Foundation hosts the first Fellows Convening, an opportunity for artists in the second and third years of their five-year Fellowships to take a break from their routines, connect with their peers, and reflect on the possibilities and challenges they face in their practices.

Conclusion

The changes of the past several years have realigned and strengthened the Foundation. During this period, we have focused on right-sizing the operating scale of the Foundation, clarifying vision and goals, taking stock of our impact, and prioritizing key strategic decisions to further the mission and expand Mitchell’s legacy. Our programmatic work is informed by our values in response to these crucial questions: Who becomes an artist? Who is recognized? Who is remembered?

Looking to the future, we are excited to continue being a resource and innovator in our field, demonstrating the importance of artists and their work, and the power of Joan Mitchell’s vision of generosity.

Celebrating Our Impact

$21,168,000+

IN UNRESTRICTED FUNDS DISTRIBUTED TO INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS

1,300+

ARTISTS AWARDED GRANTS

5,000+

YOUNG ARTISTS SUPPORTED OR EDUCATED

300+

ARTISTS HOSTED IN RESIDENCIES AT THE JOAN MITCHELL CENTER

$8,500,000

IN FUNDS GIVEN TO ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING ARTIST SUPPORT

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