#Meettheartist
Meet Sally Chapman
Tell us your artist story, some biographical info, when did you decide to be an artist? Why do you make art? Where did you study? Etc.
Sally Chapman is a photographer living in Lowell, MA. She earned a BFA in ceramics and photography from Michigan State University. For over twenty years she worked as a ceramic artist in Colorado showing extensively in New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. Moving to California and Massachusetts her attention went to spiritual pursuits seeing that the desire to create art is the same as the desire for spirit.
The magic of capturing images at night inspired her to begin creating artwork again with the camera. Her photographic subjects are often of the urban landscape and neighborhoods. Recently she has been shown in exhibits at the Cambridge Art Association, Springfield Art Association in Springfield, IL, Griffin Museum in Winchester, MA, Barrett Art Center in Poughkeepsie, NY, Fort Collins Lincoln Center, MIT Rotch Architecture Library, Gallery 93 in Brookline, and The Sanctuary Gallery in Medford, MA. She is a member of the Boston Camera Club, and Greater Boston Night Photographers.
What do you want people to walk away with after experiencing your work?
I hope that people come away with a fresh look at what they may have considered mundane. In my series that I am working on “Alters and Shrines” I am photographing in people’s homes that which they regard as sacred. Many friends have at first said that they didn’t have a shrine but in seeing what I am doing they realize that they do.
What influences your work? Why?
Currently I love finding unique events that tend to take place in smaller towns. Looking at street photographers, both current and twentieth century inspire me to keep looking at to dig deeper. The small towns offer some fresh material not shown by more urban photographers.
What does it mean to you to participate in Hera an exhibiting artist for the In God We Trust exhibition?
I am grateful for the exhibit “In God We Trust” as many venues don’t want to exhibit work with a religious theme. This is exactly what I am exploring in this series; the fact that we are a more secular society but at the same time we still hold an inspiration to something higher. It is not something we wear openly especially in New England.
You can see more of Sally's work here: https://photographyatelier.org/artist/sally-chapman/
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