A Gibson Guitar You Won't Find Anywhere Else

It was only fitting that for the past six weeks Falls resident Pat Mitchell labored in her basement workshop donning her Gibson guitar work shirt and rocking to the tunes of Otis Redding, Darrell Scott and John Mayer in the background.

Mitchell was one of 20 artists around the state chosen to use her artistic talents to design a one-of-a-kind playable Gibson Les Paul guitar. The 20 artists will showcase and auction their handiwork June 1 in Waukesha, the birth and resting place of Les Paul, and the latest Gibson GuitarTown.

Mitchell, a professional fine art mosaic artist, grinded 2,239 small pieces of glass by hand to create a heart-themed mosaic on an electric Gibson Les Paul model. A couple visits to the chiropractor, some sore fingers, and six weeks later, Mitchell’s creation was complete.

“I felt like I gave birth to a 9-pound guitar when it was done,” Mitchell said. “That’s how it really is, you finish your work and then you send it off into the world as it is.”

Mitchell’s guitar pays homage to the traditional sunburst finish that makes the Les Paul model distinctive. On the back of the guitar, Mitchell featured an outline of the state of Wisconsin with a glass heart over Waukesha. The hearts serve as a reminder of Les Paul’s roots.

“It immediately came to me that Waukesha is the heart of it all for Les Paul,” Mitchell said. “He was born here, buried here, and he always came back.”

Mitchell will send her guitar back to Gibson on April 13 to have the hardware and strings installed. Although the guitar is now lined in glass, Mitchell said she paid close attention to ensure it was still playable. Her guitar will be on display in downtown Waukesha for a time, and will eventually be auctioned off for charity.

“I was very honored that the organizers of this event chose me,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell didn’t need to search far for motivation and inspiration to design her guitar. Her husband, Bill, and her son, Roy, both play bass guitar for enjoyment and on stage. Several bass guitars and acoustic guitars occupy her basement workshop as well. As a lifelong resident of Waukesha County, Mitchell said Les Paul was part of her early memories.

“It immediately came to me that Waukesha is the heart of it all for Les Paul,” Mitchell said. “He was born here, buried here, and he always came back.”

“I know Waukesha County and I remember my mom talking about Les Paul being from Waukesha, and that the state is home to a star,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell, who graduated with a degree in art, is a late bloomer of sorts in the artistic world. She experimented with various art forms early on, but really found her true path in fine art mosaics after 20 years of raising her family. Now, with grown children and a supportive husband, she’s turned her passion into successful business, Mosaicwench.

Mitchell’s work is sold in galleries in Waukesha, North Carolina and Toronto, Canada.  You can check out Mitchell’s step-by-step progress on her guitar online. You can find the other guitars on the Waukesha GuitarTown Facebook page.

The 20 playable guitars will also join ten other 10-foot Gibson guitars that will become permanent fixtures in Waukesha. On June 1, The Les Paul Trio, Rusty Paul, and Sammy Llanas will be the musical headliners for the event.