Joan Mitchell, a leading figure in the Abstract Expressionist movement, defied gender norms and carved a significant place for herself in the art world. Her bold, gestural paintings explored themes of nature, memory, and emotion, often drawing inspiration from her experiences living in France. Joan Mitchell (1925–1992) was a “second generation” American abstract expressionist painter and printmaker. She was an essential member of the American Abstract expressionist movement, even though much of her career took place in France. Along with Lee Krasner, Grace Hartigan, and Helen Frankenthaler, she was one of her era’s few female painters to gain critical and public acclaim. Her paintings and editioned prints can be seen…