McNay Art Museum Welcomes New Curator of Prints and Drawings

Elizabeth Kathleen Mitchell, Ph.D. brings strong viewpoint to build upon the McNay’s collection

SAN ANTONIO (March 17, 2025) — The McNay Art Museum announces the appointment of Elizabeth Kathleen Mitchell, Ph.D. as the new curator of prints and drawings, beginning March 17. In her role, Mitchell is charged with researching, growing and maintaining the prints and drawings collection, as well as making the collection available to a broad audience through exhibitions, publications and educational programs.

“Dr. Mitchell is a dynamic, innovative educator and scholar,” said Matthew McLendon, director and CEO of the McNay. “Her training and forward-looking curatorial practice spanning two decades embody the McNay’s mission to engage a diverse community in the discovery and enjoyment of the visual arts.”

Mitchell received a Ph.D. in 18th-century British prints from University of California, Santa Barbara; an M.A. in 19th-century British painting from University of Arizona, Tucson; a B.A. in Spanish and a B.A. in liberal arts from University of Wyoming, Laramie. 

Prior to joining the McNay, Mitchell served in various roles at the Cantor Center for Visual Arts at Stanford University, including as interim museum co-director; Burton and Deedee McMurtry curator of drawings, prints and photographs; acting head of academic and public programming; and director of the curatorial fellowship program. Previous to her time at Stanford, she served as assistant curator in the department of prints, drawings and photographs at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. Additionally, she was a lecturer at Stanford (2013-2015), as well as an adjunct lecturer at the Massachusetts College of Art (2008-2010) and at the University of California, Santa Barbara (2002-2003), where she taught a course on modern Mexican art.

“Elizabeth brings a range of academic scholarship and curatorial experience to the McNay, with an emphasis on connecting artworks with audiences through innovative exhibitions, thoughtful art acquisitions and professional accomplishments,” said René Paul Barilleaux, head of curatorial affairs. “Her vision will provide another viewpoint to complement already strong curatorial voices at the McNay.”

Mitchell joins five other curators at the McNay: head of curatorial affairs, curator of exhibitions, curator of Latinx art, curator of collections and curator of The Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts. The Museum houses over 23,000 works, including Medieval and Renaissance art; 19th- through 21st-century European and American paintings, sculptures and photographs; one of the finest collections of prints and drawings in the Southwest; the exceptional Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts; the Jeanne and Irving Mathews Collection of Art Glass; and art of New Mexico. 

“I am thrilled to join the curatorial team at the McNay, and I welcome the chance to build on its exceptional collection,” said Mitchell. “I look forward to creating encounters with art that reflect and enrich the experiences of our local and international visitors.”

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About McNay Art Museum
The McNay Art Museum engages a diverse community in the discovery and enjoyment of the visual arts. Built in the 1920s by artist and educator Marion Koogler McNay, the Spanish Colonial Revival residence became the site of Texas’ first modern art museum when it opened in 1954. Today, 200,000 visitors a year enjoy works by modern masters including Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, Edward Hopper, Joan Mitchell, Alice Neel, Georgia O’Keeffe, Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. The 45,000-square-foot Jane & Arthur Stieren Center for Exhibitions, designed by internationally renowned French architect Jean-Paul Viguier, features major exhibitions annually. The 25 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds include sculptures by Willie Cole, Robert Indiana, Luis A. Jiménez Jr., Alejandro Martín, George Rickey, Joel Shapiro, Kiki Smith, Tom Wesselmann and others. For more information about the McNay, visit www.mcnayart.org.

The McNay is open Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday from Noon to 5 p.m.