Mitch Lyons

1938 - 2018

Mitch Lyons

New London, PA - Mitch Lyons, lifelong artist and innovator, of New London, PA, passed away March 5, 2018, at the age of 79. He was born August 7,1938, in Philadelphia, PA, the third son of Benjamin Lyons and Anna Swartz. After his father's death, Mitch was enrolled at Girard College, a home for fatherless boys. He was a beloved brother "Hummer" of the class of '56.

Mitch earned his Masters of Fine Arts in Ceramics from Tyler School of Art, and his Bachelors of Fine Arts in Graphics from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Unafraid of breaking rules and armed with his innate sense of curiosity, Mitch forged his own path in life and in the art world. Despite obstacles placed in his way, Mitch went on to develop his avant-garde method of printing with clay in the early 70s. He was an adamant opponent of reproductions and held his ground in only ever selling original works of his art. This sometimes led to conflicts with others, but he was never timid about standing behind his fierce convictions. Mitch's work can be found in numerous private and public collections throughout the United States, including the Brooklyn Museum of Art, Delaware Art Museum, Woodmere Museum, American University and the University of Delaware.

Mitch was one of the founding members of SYNE, a group of seven artists in the Delaware Valley. As part of the Sister Cities Connection Project, he traveled with the exhibition to Italy, England, Germany and Sweden. His work has been shown at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Noyes Museum, Biggs Museum, and Delaware Art Museum. He was a recipient of a Pennsylvania Council of the Arts Visual Arts Grant.

Mitch taught at West Chester University, Moore College of Art, Rowan University, Alfred University, and the University of Delaware. However, his greatest teaching was in the hundreds of workshops he led throughout his lifetime, across the United States, Canada, the Dominican Republic, and Skopelos Island. A kind and generous teacher who shared freely his innovative form of art, Mitch encouraged others to follow their passions. He touched many lives as a teacher, mentor, friend, and was a vital part of a large creative community of artists, collectors, students and supporters.

Mitch will be remembered for his humor and keen wit. When asked how long his clayprints would last, he liked to say, "Well, clay is 50 billion years old, so 50 billion years." In describing his creative process, Mitch explained, "I try not to make decisions. The more you know, the more you have to get past."

In the past few years, Mitch had returned to his original love of ceramics and continued to create and experiment with his unique and beautiful handbuilt pottery. He produced two DVDs, Handbuilding with Mitch Lyons and The Art of Clayprinting, along with his book, The Art of Printing with Clay.

Mitch left this world a more beautiful place through his legacy of artwork and philosophies that reflect the way he led his life - with passion, devotion, and curiosity. A kind, gentle soul, Mitch will be forever missed by his family and friends.

Mitch is survived by his wife, Meredith Wakefield; four children, David Lyons (Melanie), Jennifer Lyons, Christopher Lyons (Andrea), and Gregory Lyons (Gracie); grandchildren Cassie Finnegan (Tyler), Carly Powell (Dave) and Nick and Brandon Lyons. He was preceded in death by his wife of 47 years, the late Beatrice (Calhoun) Lyons.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, April 28th, 2018, at the Delaware Contemporary, Wilmington, DE, from 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, and in keeping with something close to Mitch's heart, an art scholarship will be set up in his honor and memory.