Mildred Olivier "Mit" DeSpain, is a native of Louisiana, was born in the small picturesque town of St. Martinville in the heart of Acadiana. Mit has seven children, fourteen grandchildren and six great grandchildren. In 1986, at the age of 59, Mit decided to explore her creativity when she asked her niece to teach her to paint using Acrylics. This endeavor unleashed a long buried part of her and then she discovered her artist’s soul. She enthusiastically pursued further education by enrolling in a painting class with the University of Southwestern University through the "Doors Program" at the Lafayette Parish Senior Center. Mit received accolades and encouragement from her professors and has gone on to study with many nationally known artist such as, Judi Betts, Mary Jane Cox, Naomie Brotherton, Ross Merrill, Michael Crespo, Robert Guthrie, Don Andrews, and New York collage artist, Jonathan Talbort. She continues to learn many mediums and different techniques through workshops, books, videos, and self-teaching programs. As a self-taught watercolorist, Mit increases her knowledge and skill by reading everything she can find on watercolor but more importantly, as she so often tells her students, by painting, painting, painting. Mit’s enchanting paintings capture the fragile beauty of the hibiscus flower, the haunting and bewitching mystery of the swamps, the profound colors of the sunsets as well as the magic of the hazy, steamy, muted colors of the sunrises of her beloved Louisiana.

Professionally Mit is a member of the Lafayette Watercolor Society, Lafayette Art Gallery, and Crowley Art Gallery. She has private collections throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe.

Mit’s philosophy, "You are never too old to pursue your dreams, keep a positive attitude, and have faith in yourself," has inspired many students and has made Mit a wonderful teacher and mentor. She now teaches at the Greenhouse Senior Center and also taught for five years at Hartien’s Art School. She teaches weekly classes and gives workshops three to five times each year in Lafayette, Louisiana and Dallas, Texas