Hollywood came calling at one point, needing Andrew’s clay work skills, but he declined. He was a master clay artist, carving out each letter of every plaque (the English language plaques). He also created unique 3-D works and photographed them for magazine covers and advertising. Why he created the Santa Barbara Mission Friar is a mystery to be solved with more research.
Sculptor Eugene Daub says about Andrew’s 3-D work:
“I went through it all to refresh myself to the work. I must say with this age of digital type and insipid signage everywhere it is good
to see an artist that loves letterforms and organizes them into thoughtful compositions, sometimes embellishing with bas -relief which he is a master of…This is museum-quality work.“
3-D Works by A.E. Mitchell
Cover of The King's Business, a Biola publication, in the teens. The soldier is carved in clay and this soldier appears in many issues.
This King's Business has a very interesting story written on it about a WWI vet who carried this into battle.
Friar with the Santa Barbara Mission in the background
The only known photo of a plaque in the clay stage. To make the lettering readable he may have painted white lettering on a photo and photographed it again.
Angelus Temple resting on an open Bible - 1947
Signature on the 1947 Angelus Temple bookends
Angelus Temple resting on an open Bible - 1947
3D "Little Man" for Western Exterminator. The company was founded in 1921 so Andrew likely would have been hired to make a 3D figure from their 2D drawing in the early 1920s.
Angelus Temple brass sculpture
Angelus Temple brass sculpture
Angelus Temple brass bookends
Angelus Temple brass bookend
Very rare globe bookend
Very rare globe bookend
Inside the globe bookends...a view of Heaven
Carved in clay photographed cover for Message Magazine for the Open Bible Churches, 1949
Carved in clay photographed cover for Message Magazine for the Open Bible Churches, 1948.
Carved in clay and photographed for the Foursquare Churches
Cover of Pacific Fancier magazine, 1905
Section heading, carved in clay and photographed for Pacific Fancier magazine, 1905
Section heading, carved in clay and photographed for Pacific Fancier magazine, 1905
Section heading, carved in clay and photographed for Pacific Fancier magazine, 1905
Section heading, carved in clay and photographed for Pacific Fancier magazine, 1905
Speech by Pres. Woodrow Wilson from 1917. A.E. Mitchell's signature is on the lower right. Notice all of his clay work around the document to achieve a 3-D effect. The American flag still looks brilliant. You can see how the 3-D technique is similar to the Pacific Fancier pages.