Curriculum vitae

Mitchel Ahern's Arts Practices

Artistic Practices

I participate in a variety of visual and performance artistic practices, often in combination:

Letterpress Printing: I have my own letterpress shop (mitchelka Show Card Press) in Lynn, Mass., including antique presses, type and accessories. I also print, instruct and interpret out of the Museum of Printing in Haverhill Mass., and the Flower City Arts, Book Arts Center in Rochester NY.
Linoleum Block Cutting: I design and cut linoleum blocks for printing on paper and fabric, including creating complete fonts.
Performance Art: I perform solo and with others in experimental musical ensembles both improvisationally, and in various scripted productions that may incorporate, interpreted texts, original songs, movement artists, stage design, interactive video and letterpress.
Theatrical Production: As a member and president of Fort Point Theatre Channel, in Boston, MA, I participate in a variety of productions as writer, composer, actor, musician and MC, including those I have co-produced and directed.
Invented Instruments: I invent and perform on several electro-acoustic musical instruments including the Bass Rake, the Crutch, the Leafspringoleon, the Lid, and the Electroluxopipeophone. Currently, I mostly perform on the Harrow, fabricated from a forged steel blade of the disc harrow (a piece of farm equipment).
Writing: My writing, editing and adaptation practices are embedded in many of my projects, including haiku, sonnets, stage plays and song lyrics.

Grants Awarded

Declaration of Interdependence - ECCF CCI Changemakers: Grant to pay for postage and distribution of the Declaration of Interdependence (ver. 4) poster.
E Pluribus Lynn Postcard Project - 2021 - This program is supported in part by a grant from the Lynn Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. (Withdrawn by artist)
Dhalgren Sunrise - The Boston Foundation LAB Grant through Fort Point Theatre Channel, a project I adapted from the novel Dhalgren by Samuel Delany, co produced, directed and performed in, at Chelsea Theatre Works
Fort Point Theatre Channel grants: As an Artistic Member, and current President, I participate in several projects funded by grants such as The Boston Foundation LAB Grants, Boston Properties Atlantic Wharf grants, Fort Point Watersheet Activation Grants, Boston Cultural Council, Channel Center Mitigation Fund, South Boston Community Development Foundation and Eastern Bank grants

Reviews/Press

Column: Why I will no longer volunteer in the print shop at the Tunbridge World’s Fair, Valley News, October 10, 2025
A Tower of Strength: Black Women Suffrage Movement, The Manchester Cricket, January 24, 2026
Provincetown Magazine: Something Old Something New (The Spirits Teach us How to Build the Union Family Sewing Machine)
The Arts Fuse: Theater Review: “Dhalgren Sunrise” — Unreal City

Select Performance and Theatrical Projects

R.U.R. or Are You? Currently in production, this is a retelling of Karel Čapek’s play R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots).
Stations of the Double Cross: theatrical/musical project in development for Provincetown Holding Tank Theatre, 2024
The Spirits Teach us How to Build the Union Family Sewing Machine, at AMP Gallery in Provincetown and Fort Point Open Studios, 2023
Pulling It All Into the Current: Production team for Letta Neely one-woman show, 2023
The Declaration of Interdependence Project: A broadside reinterpreting the opening paragraph in light of modern circumstances. Given away for free, ECCF WCCI Changemakers grant for postal distribution to politicians and influencers
GALA at Lynn Arts, Undulations letterpress on fabric installation, and performance on harrow, with Greg Kowalskai on interactive video. March, 2021
Sacred Emily: Co-production and co-adaptation of a Gertrude Stein poem for Zoom/YouTubeLive/Online performance - 2020
Serf's Up: Concepted, wrote the lyrics for and performed in this musical review of contemporary times. 4 performances in 2019
Tempest Reconfigured: Performed on harrow for some segments, and in the interstitials, several performances in 2019
Channel Dance: Performed on harrow for children's art event, August 2019
Cask of Amontillado: Vocal performance as Montressor of live on-stage radio play. October 2018
Cloud Tectonics, performing on the harrow, 3 performances 2018
Boston Haiku Times at Figment Boston 2018, July
Solo letterpress show at Flower City Printing and Book Arts Center, October 2017
Dhalgren Sunrise at the Chelsea Theatre Works (full performance) June 2017: trailer, Moons preview, review
Dhalgren Sunrise at the opening of Chelsea Theatre Works black box theater (trio preliminary performance)
Dhalgren Sunrise at Wonder Valley 8 Festival (solo preliminary performance) 2016
Oracle of Control at Figment 2016 in Boston
Dhalgren Sunrise at Outpost Gallery (solo preliminary performance)
Viae Ensemble at Day for Night Theater Fest, August 2015
Plan 9 From Outer Space: A reshoot of the entire film by Mitchel Ahern and members of Atlantic Works Gallery.
Live Performance Letterpress at the opening of the Design Museum Boston’s Green Patriot Posters exhibit (January 2014)
Rolling Scroll Theater at the Figment Festivals in New York and Boston, 2014
Thermodynamic Causal Entropic Forces: Performance at Gallery 119, May 2013
Welcome to Control: Installation and Performances at Atlantic Works, November 2012: Crutch Performance, The Scrolling Cut-Up Oracle of Control, Artist Interview
Roving Scroll Theater: First Paragraph of On The Road (1957)
Roving Scroll Theater: First Paragraph of On The Road (1951)
Roving Scroll Theater: Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
108 Defilements of Buddhism
You Are A Stranger to Yourself: Book interpretation
Case 29: Not The Wind, Not The Flag Scroll: Window, Tunnel Woods, Harold King Forest
Santa Mitch's Holiday Haiku Countdown
2008 - Mobile Readings of "'On The Road' Scroll", text by Jack Kerouac, DeCordova Museum, Lincoln MA - Annual Exhibition
On the Scroll, interpretations of Jack Kerouac performed by dadallama: 119 Gallery, Lowell MA, Red Tail Art Collective, Boston MA; The Schoolhouse, Brooklyn NY; DeCordova Museum (selection)
Perky Pat Layouts, written by Mitchel Ahern, performed by dadallam: Goddard College, Lesley University / Boston Cyberarts Festival; 119 Gallery, Lowell MA; Red Tail Art Collective, Boston MA; LTC Lowell Public Access
Martha Stewart in the Underworld, written and improvised by Mitchel Ahern, solo performance: Zeitgeist Gallery, Cambridge MA; 119 Gallery, Lowell MA; Brewd Awakenings, Lowell MA; Upstairs Gallery, Marblehead Arts Association, Marblehead MA; LTC Lowell Public Access
Stalingrad, readings from "Stalingrad", solo performance, Zeitgeist Gallery: Cambridge, MA
Solo Invented Instruments: Knitting Factory, New York City, NY; Worcester Artist Group, Worcester MA; WCUW Community Radio, Worcester MA; National Federation of Community Broadcasters convention, Montreal
Invented Thing Quartet - sound sculpture performance company: Worcester Artist Group, Worcester MA; Trenton Avante Garde Festival, Trenton NJ; AS220, Providence RI; Zeitgeist, Cambridge MA; The Rathskeller, Boston MA; The Middle East, Cambridge MA

Partial List of Visual Art Exhibitions

Charlotte Forten Park, Charlotte Forten Scroll Installation, October-December 2025.
A Tower of Strength: Black Women of the Suffrage Movement, 2023-Present - Letterpress printed fabric scrolls and framed quotations from black women of the suffrage movement. Traveling exhibits at Endicott College, Old Town Hall in Salem Mass., North Shore Community College, National Park Service Maritime Museum Visitor Center in Salem Mass., Old Town Hall in Salem, and others are being scheduled.
Duality at GALA at Lynn Arts - “People/Peril” letterpress print on fabric, 2021.
GALA at Lynn Arts - Members show - Letterpress posters, fabric banners, 2020.
Verified: letterpress poster and performance on harrow, May 2019.
He'll Print on Anything, Flower City Book Arts Center, Solo Show June, March 2017
Plan 9 From Outer Space, Atlantic Works Gallery (organized by Mitchel Ahern), April 2014
Double Your Fun, Members Exhibit, Gallery 119, July 2013
VizPO: Artworks in which we use Words, Atlantic Works Gallery, April 2013
The Song Remains the Same, group show at Atlantic Works Gallery (organized by Mitchel Ahern)
Welcome to Control, solo installation at Atlantic Works Gallery, November 2012
With a Little Help from Our Friends at Atlantic Works Gallery, East Boston MA, May 2012
Biennial Project at Bizarre Artist Happenings, Atlantic Works Gallery, July 2012
Patricia’s Quilt Show, August 2012
Biennial Project Whitney Biennial at Spattered Column Gallery, NYC March 2012
The Gallery at Chelsea City, 2012
Collective II at Galatea on Harrison Ave in Boston, MA, August 2011, Juried Show
Bogus, Lincoln Arts Project, Waltham MA, March 2012, Juried Show
7th Annual Juried Show: Inside-Out, Gallery 119, December, 2011
All Works Guaranteed Stolen, conceived and organized group show at Atlantic Works Gallery, January 2011
KOANS, duo show at Atlantic Works Gallery with Eddie Holtorf, November, 2010
Collective at Galatea on Harrison Ave in Boston, MA, August 2010, Juried Show
Help From Our Friends Show at Atlantic Works Gallery, East Boston, July 2010
New Members’ Show at Atlantic Works Gallery, East Boston, February 2010
Biennial Project Show at Atlantic Works Gallery, East Boston, August 2009
Material is Language, Gallery 119, Lowell MA, December 2009, Juried Show
4th Annual Juried Show: Anxiety Attack, Gallery 119, December 2008
Underground Map, Manchester, NH, November 2008, Solo Show
Outpost Gallery, Cambridge, September 2008, Solo Show
Ello Gallery, Political Art, Portsmouth NH, October 2008, Juried Show
Speak Out: Art, Design and Politics, 516 Gallery, Albuquerque NM, November 2008
DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park 2008 Annual Show
Marblehead Arts Association, Marblehead MA, October 2007
2007 - 119 Gallery, Lowell MA - "Creative Ferver" - Artist Members' Show
2006 - 119 Gallery, Lowell MA - "I Had the Strangest Dream" - Juried Show
2005 - Marblehead Arts Association, Marblehead MA - Juried Open Show

Community Arts Administration

I am deeply involved with community arts, both at an organizational level, and with particular projects. These are some of the organizations I have worked with over the years, and my role in the organization.

Grand Army of the Republic Hall and Museum, Lynn, Mass.: Volunteer Librarian, Trustee, Vice Chair of Trustees (current)
Fort Point Theatre Channel: Co-President (current), Performer, Producer, Director
Museum of Printing, Haverhill, Mass.: (current) Director of Operations (volunteer), Board Member, Instructor, Letterpress Donations and Sales
GALA at Lynn Arts, Lynn, Mass.: Professional Member
Essex County Community Foundation, Creative County Initiative, 2023/2024 Changemakers Cohort; a year-long invitation-only training/workshop program for cultural leaders in Essex County, Massachusetts.
Flower City Arts Center, Book Arts, Rochester, NY: Volunteer, Instructor (current)
RAW Art Works, Lynn, Mass.: Former Board Member, Program Participant, Project Launch (current), RAD Print Shop Consultant
Brickyard Collaborative, Lynn, Mass.: Board President
WCUW Community Radio, Worcester, Mass.: Programmer, Board Member, Fundraiser, Event Organizer
WCCA Public Access Television, Worcester, Mass.: Organizer, Board Member
Gallery 119, Lowell, Mass.: Member and Performer
Atlantic Works Gallery, East Boston, Mass.: Artist, Curator
Marblehead Arts Association, Marblehead, Mass.: Executive Director

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