Check out Mitch Cohen’s Artwork

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mitch Cohen.

Mitch, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
From day one I thought I was an artist and like many kids, drew, colored and created but I just never stopped. I was creative in more areas than just creating, I sold my reproductions of popular cartoons to my friends at 7, until their Mother’s put a stop to it. I always combined what I loved doing with some kind of project, business or a way to make money. My doodles became a fixture in the school newsletter. I wanted to earn my own money as a teen and jobs just didn’t pay enough, thus my entrepreneurial spirit was born. I made my own advertising flyers for my lawn business with my cartoon characters.

A summer job painting billboard gave me the skills needed to launch my first business, a decorative painting company. After 14 years of painting, being published nationally and having the opportunity to travel to paint, I left when the marketing bug struck again. That came as I honed my skills writing press releases and marketed my growing outdoor art market, which turned out to be one of Houston’s first and longest running monthly outdoor fine art markets.

Today I own and manage to markets, First Saturday Arts Market, going on 15 years and the newer Market at Sawyer Yards. I’ve combined all my skills into helping emerging artists and providing a fun atmosphere to experience art.

We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
Because of my professional background in painting, I tend to paint by whatever mood rules me. I go from an abstracted, fast and furious style to a more refined realistic approach. Though I was formally trained with oil paints, today I use acrylics most often.

The past few years, I’ve taken a liking to portrait painting, but with a bit of an edge – “funny faces.” Those candids often times grotesque faces people make to be funny are what I want to paint. My subjects like them too! My personal art, however, has taken a backseat to the constant promotions of my events and the talented artists that are featured. I’ve been working hard this year to move back to painting full time.

What do you think it takes to be successful as an artist?
Defining success is always going to be a personal choice. When do you arrive at a destination that is determined by you? I see it more as evolving. To me being creative is what I must do, either writing, painting or making something happen. As a painter, I don’t think I’ll ever be satisfied. I know my styles and techniques will continue to grow and change for my entire life.

Having surrounded myself for so many years with the most talented and amazing creatives I could ever have imagined meeting, I’ve got some great teachers! Professionally, however, my current goal is to infuse my life with my own art, and have my own creations be what makes me happy, and a living.

Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
Currently, the best place to find me is online. My website is ArtValet.com and I use Art Valet as my Instagram handle and hashtag too. When I have built a new body of work up again, I’ll announce it in those places first.

Contact Info:

• Address: Mailing Address: Mitch Cohen – 448 W. 19th St. #120 Houston, Texas 77008
• Website: http://artvalet.com
• Phone: 8322734798
• Email: artvalet@gmail.com
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/artvalet
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Artist.Mitch.Cohen
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/artvalet

Image Credit:
Clockwise from top left – me on the left with friends Phil Brayton, Steve Sellers and Mike Baker at White Linen Night in the Heights
Me posing with artist Sheri Hope in the selfie frame she made me.
My featured painting at the Houston Heights Association Gala and Dinner.
Delivering Eric Rasmussen’s portrait.
Delivering Zulu Sophia’s portrait.
My self portrait as a backdrop in the wine booth at my market.

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