Material Inspiration

Location: Archival Art Services - Alexandria, VA

Gold. Copper. Elements shaped by time—like the rare and enduring bond between humans and service dogs. Material Inspiration stands as a tribute to these remarkable companions, whose loyalty, strength, and quiet devotion make them the best friends one could ever know.

A weathered, white and gold-painted sculpture of a dog, outdoors among green bushes and grass.
A sculpture of a dog sitting outdoors in a green park with trees and grass surrounding it.
A sculpture of a dog in a grassy outdoor area with trees in the background. The sculpture has a weathered, multicolored paint finish.
Close-up of a metallic sculpture head with a weathered, rusty surface against a blurred dark background.
A metal dog sculpture with a weathered appearance sitting on green grass in a park-like setting with trees in the background.

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Dennis Lee Mitchell is an American artist based in the Washington, D.C. area, known for his experimental smoke drawings made with an acetylene torch on treated paper. His work captures motion and chance through soot, forming abstract patterns, mandala-like shapes, and gestural fields of light and dark.

Originally trained in ceramics, he shifted to smoke as his primary medium, developing a process that records movement in real time. Mitchell has received major grants and fellowships, and his work is held in public and private collections in the U.S. and abroad.

Find Dennis at www.dennisleemitchell.com

Artist: Dennis Lee Mitchell

A middle-aged man with glasses and a beard wearing a dark jacket, standing indoors with a wooden wall and promotional signs in the background.

Statue Sponsor:

Logo of Erie Insurance with a blue building tower and the words Erie Insurance

Reserve Your Seat for Art Unleashed

Tickets will go on sale August 2026!

Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest Art Unleashed news and be the first to know when tickets are available.