Patty Mitchell is a working artist and social entrepreneur specializing in collaborations between artists with and without developmental disabilities. Designs from collaborative artworks are translated into product with a focus of creating employment for underserved populations and funding streams for continued programming. Mitchell created Passion Works Studio, in Athens Ohio (1996), where today 32 artists with cognitive disabilities work as artists and have generated over a half million US dollars since 1998.

Through Norwich Consulting Services, Mitchell is now sharing this model with the world. She has traveled from Moscow to Memphis doing staff development and training through the medium of visual arts. Mitchell has received a Distinguished Alumna Award from Ohio University, Individual Artist Award from the Ohio Arts Council, Citizen of the Year from Athens Civitan, the Bryant True Heroes Award, and The Keystone Award from Ohio University for outstanding community service. Passion Works has received the Governor’s Award for the Arts: Community Development and Participation and Distinguished Organization for Art Education from the Ohio Art Education Association.  She is the co-author of UpCycling Sheltered Workshops (Ohio University/Swallow Press).

Please see:  www.creativeabundancegroup.com for more information on Patty’s topics/presentations.