Recapturing the Solitude and Antiquity of Rural AmericaOriginal Art
About Chuck
Charles H. Chamberlain
Chuck Chamberlain Artist Statement When I was about 30 years old my sister called and offered me a free "famous artists" painting course. As an employee she decided rather than take the course she would pass it on. I had no previous art interest, but found this course very challenging. Although, I only too 9 lessons, I was hooked.
Living in rural Central New Hampshire, I traveled the back roads, fished, hunted and photographed landscapes, structures, covered bridges, etc. I decided researching and trying to recapture these images motivated me more than the assignments the course required.
I suppose if I had taken art in high school or was a more cultured individual as a yong man, rather than very athletically and socially oriented, this new endeavor might have come more readily. As I reminisce, I actually challenged art as I did athletics, observation, research, fundamentals and practice.
I observed, actually learned how to see, noticing for the first time the multitude of colors in the sky, in a tree, or stone wall. I oberserved light direction and its effects, what is interesting and what is not, what to elimate or add, then evauluating, critiquing; not as easy as I thought.
Traveling a new back road excited me as does the bend in a river, an open barn door or the changing seasonal colors. I found this casual research incorportated with fishing, hunting, skiing and photography enabled me to become a more acute observer and formed the fountain for my creations.
New Horizons opened to me, I met farmers, lobstermen and antiquers. Perused their property gleaning visions that motivated me. I met new friends, artists and so many individuals who simply related their propr memories to my work. As I age, and hopefully mature, art has become a significant addition to my quality of life. Art is a learning process, it's exploring and progressing and always a challenge.