The book was created over a period of years, and achieved viral success online and was featured in many major publications. You can view more about Wonderland here.
I must tell you, we jumped at the opportunity to see the exhibit The Spellbound Spirit Photographs by Kirsty Mitchell, at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art earlier this month.
This captivating exhibition showcased eight imaginative pieces from Mitchell’s Wonderland series, accompanied by two brand-new works from her Quiescence series, presented in the United States for the very first time. There is a viewing area, which invites visitors to watch a video revealing the intricate process behind her carefully constructed scenes, offering a deeper glimpse into her artistic vision. It was there that I found my husband, completely absorbed, as he turned to me with excitement and said, “Lori, you’ve got to see this!”
Kirsty Mitchell didn’t actually start out as a photographer. She first trained as a costume maker for film and theatre, and later went back to school to study fashion design and textiles. After working in the fashion industry for about ten years, she shifted into photography—and you can really see how all those skills come together in her work.
Mitchell’s photography doesn’t feel like typical photos at all—it’s more like stepping into a dream. Every image is packed with detail, from the costumes to the props to the backgrounds, and what amazed me most is that she creates everything by hand.
I was stunned the first time I saw one of her photographs in a magazine spread featuring a piece from her Wonderland series. So getting to see some of her Wonderland Series in person, along with a couple of photographs from Quiescence, felt exceptional. Knowing that a single photo can take her team weeks or even months to complete made me appreciate her work on a whole new level.
What really stuck with me wasn’t just how beautiful everything looked—it was the meaning behind it. Both Wonderland and Quiescence are deeply personal projects for Mitchell. She created Wonderland as a tribute to her mom, Maureen, who passed away from cancer, which already gives it a lot of emotional weight. Then with Quiescence, it becomes autobiographical—after she had her first and only child, Finch, she was diagnosed with breast cancer herself.
Knowing all of that completely changes how you see her work. It’s not just random fantasy or cool, dreamy images—it’s her way of coping with really difficult things. She’s using art to remember her mom and process her own experience with illness. You can feel that in the images. There’s grief there, but it’s not overwhelming—I felt the photographs depicted a quiet kind of resilience.
As I stood moving back and forth between her photographs. I recognize each is powerful. The two pieces from the Quiescence were lovely! The Secret Locked in the Roots of a Kingdom appeared to be the largest piece on display and was garnering a lot of attention. However, The Queen’s Centurion really stood out to me. I was immediately drawn to it. It was mesmerizing! I would start to move away from it and move back to it. The Fade of Fallen Memories. was exquisite.
If you ever get the chance to visit this exhibit, I highly recommend it
