Grace Mitchell

Born Gippsland Victoria, 1916.

Grace Mitchell grew up in the Gippsland district of Victoria on a farm as the second eldest of seven children.

Loosing her father at age seven threw her family into turmoil and she has to leave school at an early age.

She later studied psycology, journalism and dressing making and cooking.

Her early crochet patterns were published in magazines.

Grace worked as a chef at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and much later, Montsalvat Eltham.

She moved to Eltham with her husband in 1948 and began a pastry shop and organic vegetable and fruit garden.

The famous pastry and cake shop continued for sixteen years.

After retiring from the business she began study again at Phillip Institute (RMIT) and majored in Sculpture and Printmaking.

At age 91 Grace continues to work - returning to 'thread painting' - emboridering beautiful works in coloured silks; no longer able to wield the chisel and hammer.

Her work has been exhibited regularly in Melbourne and particularly the Open Studios since the 1980s.