
Robert Chapman
Once, as an opening catalog statement, I presented the idea that my artistic concern happened to be focused on the “content of our reality”. This idea, which still resonates with me, is an aspect of reality which is not so much governed by fleeting surface ripples, or formed by the transient meanderings of social order influencing events, but rather by a deeper universal current. This reality of subsurface rhythms influence and form the structural armature defining our perceptions of the material world. The matrix of what ultimately becomes a visual reality is produced by a fusion of properties both visible and transparent.
I've always felt that by using an open artistic form of expression, by balancing chance occurrence with reason driven intent, the opportunity arises to access a sense of the unseen parallel side of objectivity. As my artwork develops, I, and hopefully the viewer, can perceive if only symbolically, what takes place in the development of chance randomness forming and effecting a unified whole. This is suggested, not only within the world of art, but also in relationships found in the order of the natural world.
My work symbolizes the notion of a force or current influencing order, balance, and existence, while being perceived as rooted effortlessly in a kind of reality. This constant is a source of renewal, wonder, and inspiration for me, which gives my life and work a personal sense of connected purpose.
Robert Chapman
- Born: 1950 Santa Monica, California
- Education and Training
- 1980-1990 Assistant to Willem de Kooning, East Hampton, N.Y.
- 1973-1975 Montgomery College, Rockville, MD.
- 1968-1969 Cypress college, Cypress, CA.
- Selected Collections
- Carter Administration loan request, Executive Office Building, Washington D.C.
- Guild Hall museum, East Hampton, N.Y.
- Heckscher museum, Huntington, N.Y.
- Mortgage Bankers Ass. of America, Washington, D.C.
- Republic National Bank, New York, N.Y.
- Land Tel Corp., New York, N.Y.
- Ms. Ina Meibach, Time Warner, Warner Music-U.S., New York, N.Y.
- Mr. Lyle Gramley, Governor Federal Reserve Board, Potomac, MD.
- Mr. Gerhard Mertens, Marbella, Spain
- Mr. Robin Leach, Leach Entertainment Enterprises, Inc., New York, N.Y.
- Mr. Peter Cullin, Burbank, CA.
- Ms. Katja Schuler, Zurich, Switzerland
- Mr. Stanley Moss, New York, N.Y.
- Mrs. Susan Tepper, New York, N.Y.
- Count Alexander Delesseps, Switzerland
- Mr. Moritz Von Karp, Hamburg, Germany
- Mr. Gene Bailen, San Francisco, CA.
- Mr. Wolfgang Ohlmeier, Hamburg, Germany / The Princess of Liechtenstein
- Mr. Frank Barsalona, New York, N.Y.
- Ms. Doris Larmann, Siemans Corp., Munich, Germany
- Ms. Andrea Freiberger, Hamburg, Germany
- Mr. Karl Heinz Paas, Hamburg, Germany
- Mr. & Mrs. John Swift, Central coast, CA.
- Mr. Kenneth Williams, New York, N.Y.
- 123 Townsend Street Commission, San Francisco, CA.
- Mr. Louis Meisel of NYC
- The San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, San Luis Obispo, California
- The Erie Art Museum, Erie, Pennsylvania
- In Print
- Sutter, Lee, "Surrendering To The Moment", Feature Article,
- The Tribune, San Luis Obispo, Ca. May 23, 2010 - Interview: "Robert Chapman", Moving Art Magazine, Holland, 2008
- Etling, Leah, "Raising The Bar" Feature Article, The Tribune, San Luis Obispo, Ca., March 2008
- Targos, Renee, "Robert Chapman" Feature Article, Art-Talk, Scottsdale, Az., May 2007
- Maldonado, Marisa, "New Paintings by Robert Chapman", DVD Filmed by Last Kid Productions, 2007
- Harrison, Helen, "Challenges To The Viewer’s Imagination", New York Times, Dec.1996
- DePietro, Anne, "Recent Work", Heckscher museum, Dec. 1996
- Lovelace, Cary, "Different Points Of View", NewsDay, April 1996
- Boltson, Arlyne, "Show Opens At Heckscher", The Long Islander, April 1996
- Goya, Gillian, "Robert Chapman", Casa & Decoracao Magazine, Portugal, March 1995
- Post The, "Chapman At Clark & Co.", Washington Post, Feb. 1993
- Burns, Stephanie, "Cutting Edge Look", The Georgetowner, March 1993
- Oda, Ken, Koan Review, Maryland, June 1993
- Taylor, John, "Architecture", Garden/Design Magazine, May 1993
- Thorson, Alice, "Strange Allusion", City Paper, Rockville, MD, May 1991
- Dorsey, John, "Chapman's Work Progresses", The Baltimore Sun, Jan. 1989
- Slivka, Rose, "Alive With Color", East Hampton Star, Sept. 1989
- Braff, Phyllis, "Local Talent", New York Times, Oct. 1988
- Dorsey, John, "de Kooning Assistants", The Baltimore Sun, Jan. 1987
- Braff, Phyllis, "Bold New Trends", New York Times, Sept. 1986
- Catalogue, "Eleven Painters", Guild Hall museum, East Hampton, N.Y. 1986
Shows and Exhibitions
- 2018
- "Electric Abstractions" three person show, San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, San Luis Obispo, Ca.
- 2013
- Paintings, Pastels, and Drawings, One Man Show, Meisel Gallery, New York, NY
- 2012
- "Abstractions", Hall Spassov Gallery in Bellevue, Washington
- "New Acquisitions", Group Show at Leslie Sacks Fine Art, (L.A.)Brentwood, CA
- "Art Platform - Los Angeles", Santa Monica, CA - represented by Leslie Sacks Fine Art
- 2011
- "Across Time and Place", The Heckscher Museum of Art, Huntington, NY
- "Full Circle", One Man Show at Leslie Sacks Fine Art, (L.A.)Brentwood, CA
- "A Summer Fling", Group Show at Leslie Sacks Fine Art, (L.A.)Brentwood, CA
- 2010
- "Perfect Stranger", One Man Show, San Luis Obispo Museum Of Art, San Luis Obispo, CA
- 2007
- "The Time Is Now", One Painter One Sculptor, Hernandez Contemporary, Scottsdale, AZ
- 2006
- 123 Townsend Street Commissioned Painting, San Francisco, CA
- 2001
- Commissioned Bronze Sculpture, Summerwood Winery, Paso Robles, CA
- Commissioned Painting, San Luis Obispo, CA
- Commissioned Bronze Sculpture, Germany
- 2000
- Gallery Artists, Bruce R. Lewin Gallery, New York, NY
- Relocate To Paso Robles, CA
- 1999
- Commissioned Portrait Of The Princess Of Liechtenstein, Liechtenstein
- Gallery Artists, Bruce R. Lewin Gallery, New York, NY.
- Commissioned Sculpture Work, NY, And Boston, MA.
- Commissioned Portraiture, NY, Boston, MA, Germany
- 1998
- Gallery Artists, Bruce R. Lewin Gallery, New York, NY
- Commissioned Sculpture, NY
- Studio Lecture, Guild Hall Museum, East Hampton, NY
- 1997
- Gallery Artist, Winter Show, Bruce R. Lewin Gallery, New York, NY
- Theme Exhibit, Art-Expo '97, Jacob Javitts Center, New York, NY
- Recent Additions To The Permanent Collection Show, Heckscher Museum, Huntington, NY
- "Deceptive Presence", Gallery Stendhal, New York, NY
- "Paintings, Pastels, Drawings", Solo Show, Bruce R. Lewin Gallery, New York, NY
- Gallery Artist, Winter Show, Bruce R. Lewin Gallery, New York, NY
- Commissioned Sculpture, NY, Portraiture, Germany
- 1996
- Heckscher Museum, Heckscher Museum Award, Huntington, NY
- Pastel Society Of America, Regional Exhibition, Jo Anne Chappel Gallery, San Francisco, CA
- "Pastels And Works On Paper", Heckscher Museum Of Art At Bryant Library, Roslyn, NY
- Group Show, Bruce R. Lewin Gallery, New York, NY
- 1995
- Group Show, Bruce R. Lewin Gallery, New York, NY
- Group Show, Windsor Gallery, Windsor, VT
- Benefit Show, Southampton Ballet Co., Bridgehampton Community Center, Bridgehampton, NY
- "The Countess Portrait", Switzerland
- 1994
- "Female Nudes", Solo Show, Bruce R. Lewin Gallery, New York, NY
- Group Show, Bruce R. Lewin Gallery, New York, NY
- Commissioned Portraiture Work, NY
- 1993
- Commissioned Sculpture And Portraiture Work, NY
- 1992
- Group Show, Benton Gallery, Southampton, NY
- Solo Show Of Recent Paintings, Clark & Co. Gallery, Washington D.C.
- Group Show, "The Love Show", Clark & Co. Gallery, Washington D.C.
- Group Show, Windsor Gallery, Windsor, VT
- Benefit Auction, Hampton Day School, Bridgehampton, NY
- Commissioned Sculpture And Portraiture Work, NY
- 1991
- Bird House Show, Vered Gallery, East Hampton, NY
- "Strange", The Artist, Maryland Center For The Arts, Curator Lee Fleming, MD
- Bird Houses As Sculpture, Southampton, NY
- "Recent Paintings", Benton Gallery, Southampton, NY
- Commissioned Sculpture Work, NY
- 1990
- Group Show, Benton Gallery, Southampton, NY
- Group Show, Martha Lincoln Gallery, Vero Beach, FL
- Group Show, Benton Gallery, Southampton, NY
- Last Year As Studio Assistant To William de Kooning That Began In 1980
- 1989
- One Man Show, C. Grimaldis Gallery, Baltimore, MD
- Three Solo Exhibitions, Benton Gallery, Southampton, NY
- Group Show, Benton Gallery, Southampton, NY
- 1988
- "Robert Chapman", Peconic Gallery, Suffolk County Community College Eastern Campus, Riverhead, NY
- Group Show, Ingber Gallery, New York, NY
- "Five Solo Exhibitions", Benton Gallery, Southampton, NY
- Group Show, Fall Exhibition, Benton Gallery, Southampton, NY
- "The Young and The Beautiful", Ingber Gallery, New York, NY
- 1987
- "New Paintings", C. Grimaldis Gallery, Baltimore, MD
- "Second Annual Invitational", Benton Gallery, Southampton, NY
- "Five Solo Exhibitions", Benton Gallery, Southampton, NY
- "Winter Exhibition", Benton Gallery, Southampton, NY
- Invitational Art Exhibit, Ten New York Artist, Hood College, Maryland
- 1985
- Hamptons Danceteria "Artists of the South Fork", Group Show, George duBose: Curator, Southampton, NY
- "Two Painters", Two Man Show, East Hampton Center for Contemporary Art, East Hampton, NY
- "Eleven Painters", Guild Hall Museum, East Hampton, NY
- "Benefit Show", East Hampton Center for Contemporary Art, East Hampton, NY
- "Winter Exhibition", Bologna/Landi Gallery, East Hampton, NY
- 1984
- Group Show Exhibition, Elaine deKooning, curator, Bologna/Landi Gallery, East Hampton, NY
- 46th Annual Guild Hall Artist Members Exhibition, Best Abstract Painting Award, East Hampton, NY
- 1983
- "Exhibition of Paintings", One Man Show, Marymount Manhattan College Gallery, New York, NY
- 1982
- "Elaine deKooning and her Inadvertent Collection", Elaine Benson Gallery Bridgehampton, NY
- 1981
- Three Man Show, Willow Gallery, Potomac, MD
- Two Man Show, Willow Gallery, Potomac, MD
- 1979
- "Lacia Sells Out" Fine Arts Exhibition, Los Angeles
- Juried Group Exhibition at Federation of the Arts, Los Angeles, CA
- International Juried Painting & Graphic Arts Exhibition, Long Beach, CA
- California Exposition: Juried Fine Arts Exhibitions, Third Place Award, Sacramento, CA
- 27th All City Art Show, Municipal Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
- UNIT 2 Exhibition: Two Man Show, BRICS Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
- "Exposition", Two Man Show, BRICS Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
- 1977
- "Art & Music" Group Show and Concert Pianist, Potomac, MD
- 1974
- Montgomery College One Man Show, Rockville, MD
- 1973
- Montgomery College Fine Arts Exhibition, Rockville, MD
- Gallery Voya Group Show, Rockville, MD
- Montgomery County Art Show, Rockville, MD
- 1969
- Cypress College Fine Arts Exhibition, Cypress, CA