May 2010:
Image of "Veritas V" (mixed media on wood) selected by editorial staff for inclusion in Spring 2010 issue of Hobart Park, the bi-annual publication of Davidson College featuring literary works and visual art.
June 2009:
May 2009:
Image of "Power" (mixed media on canvas) selected by editorial staff for inclusion in Spring 2009 issue of Hobart Park, the bi-annual publication of Davidson College featuring literary works and visual art.
April 2009:
"Sara Claire Chambless" by Bill Gudiz. Front page feature article in "In Focus", a page featuring accomplishments of students on the website of Davidson College. www.davidson.edu
February 2009:
"Artist Sara Claire Chambless" by Barbara Allen. Feature article in February 2009 edition of Episcopal Cafe, monthly online journal of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. www.episcopalcafe.com
January 2009:
Praise for artist in solo ad in Buckhead Guide, 2009 issue.
Praise for artist in group ad in American Art Collector, January 2009 issue.
December 2008:
"Sara Claire Chambless: She's Young at Art" by Barbara Allen. Feature article in Winter 2008 edition of Pathways, quarterly journal of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta.
"Following Your Passions" with Bernard Kearse. Taped interview for Radio Sandy Springs 1620AM. Airing TBA. www.radiosandysprings.com
February 2008:
Gallery Wall Debut Solo Exhibition in The All Saints' Monthly (Volume 2, Issue 6).
March 15, 2008:
Davidson College awards James G. Pepper Merit Scholarship in Studio Art to Sara Claire. She is the only recipient for the class of 2012. www.davidson.edu
April 4, 2008:
"Young Artist Molds A Promising Career with Mixed Media Abstracts" by Amy Wenk. Feature article in the Buckhead Reporter Newspaper.
April 13, 2008:
"Sara ClaireChambless: 18 Year-Old Mixed Media Artist" by Colleen Lou. Feature article in Sandy Springs Online E-paper.
April 16, 2008:
June 2008:
"The Spirit of Art" by Sara Claire Chambless. Saints' Alive, quarterly journal of All Saints' Episcopal Church, Atlanta, GA.
The Spirit of Art
by Sara Claire Chambless
As a painter attracted to nonobjectivism and abstraction, I am frequently asked, “What were you thinking, feeling, or trying to achieve with this painting?” While I am happy to engage the viewer in intellectual discourse or, even, relate my own emotional journey, my first response is typically, “What does the painting say to you?”
I view art as anything that impacts or makes an impression on the subconscious self. I am interested in using nonobjective technique to portray the connections and paradoxes that occur within the human psyche. The method is to explore my intuitive responses to color, line, shape, value, movement, balance, emphasis, rhythm, and unity—the elements of art. In this way, I approach each blank canvas with a question fueled by an emotion and, through the physical act of painting, begin to initiate a dialogue between myself, as artist, and the viewer, as observer.
I want my pieces to act as mirrors for the observer, reflecting back his/her own passion and emotional experience. This desire is born out of my attraction to existentialism and the importance of finding meaning in every moment, for it is my belief that God is omnipresent and always moving through us—just as the breath we breathe.
As an artist, God directs my heart and mind and inspires the creative energy that fuels my desire to paint. My task is to break free from lower levels of consciousness (ego/fear/self-criticism) long enough to allow the spirit to move through me to convey the emotion and concept I am exploring in a piece. If I am successful, the result will be an answer to the question which created the impetus for the work.
It is through the process of painting that I become aware of the meaning behind the intuitive choices that compose my body of work. As a result, planning has never been a strong suit, much to the chagrin of my high school art instructors. I am inspired by images—both visual (photographs/artwork/people) and auditory (conversation/music/nature)—and record these in a journal, but frequently the meaning of a piece does not fully manifest until it is completed.
With “Solitude”, one of my more recent paintings, I began thinking about the lessons learned in silence and in time spent alone. I had recently spent six days in the hospital following an emergency appendectomy and found myself helplessly surrounded by constant commotion and activity. When I could enjoy a few moments of solitude, I realized how enriching the peace and serenity felt in contrast to what one might sometimes consider loneliness and isolation. This led me to ponder the many fruits of solitude, including the fact that we can only encounter our true selves and learn about our true nature when alone and in communion with the stillness I identify as God.
When I went to work on the painting, I felt a sense of profound peace running through me and expressed this emotion by using warm, lighter hues of acrylic paint, contrasted with darker colors layered over pumice, which I use as a grounding element, to represent the metamorphosis which occurs when we come to know our true self. The process of painting was personally fulfilling and apparently I had accomplished my intention, because when I asked my mother what she saw, she replied, “Serenity!”
At times achieving my vision is more challenging. A painting called “Power” went through several revisions before I felt satisfied with the outcome. I began by working with the idea that one must embrace his/her God-given gifts in order to effect positive change in the world. Initially, I saw a figure emerge on the canvas—the profile of a young woman standing in a sea of color. After a few days, I realized something was not right with the piece and began again by adding plaster and other media to soften and further break up the figure, so it would emerge out of the canvas in a deconstructed fashion.
Again, upon reflection, the result was not what I wanted. Finally, I began applying tree bark, paper, more plaster, and moving an entirely different combination of color across the canvas with pallet knife and fingers until I began to literally feel the power of my own spirit being laid onto the canvas. At last I had created a satisfying image, which for me represented the power of an individual soul in motion. What began as an abstract figurative piece, ended as one of my most satisfying nonobjective works to date.
One of my greatest influences is the 20th century abstract expressionist, Jackson Pollock, who said: “Today painters do not have to go to a subject matter outside of themselves. Most painters work from a different source. They work from within.” I agree wholeheartedly with this statement and would add that for me this “different source” is God—the spirit running through all great art.
Although I have been painting for only a short time and am just emerging in the world of professional art, I am convinced that God would not have given me this passion, if I were not intended put His gift to the service of humanity. If I can remain solidly grounded in my connection with and direct experience of God, I feel certain I will continue to create images that have meaning for others, for I am clear that these works have their genesis in a higher source. I, as artist, am merely a conduit…an instrument for their coming into being. It is my responsibility to remain open to all I can learn and willing to show up and do the work I have been given to do.