Medlin Art Gallery solo show featuring works by Terra, August 3rd-5th, details coming soon.
Medlin Art Gallery
2 Loudoun Street, SE, Leesburg, Virginia 20175 1 (703) 771-8696
Biography
Terra was born in San Diego, California, in 1990. She has traveled and lived in many places including Texas, Virginia, and even Portugal. All the while she has been fascinated by painting and drawing. Her fascination with art began at the age she was able to simply hold a pencil in her hand. Terra embarked on the adventure of oil painting when she was just seven years old with private lessons from Sandy Pratt, an artist in Baja, California. She was instantly captivated by oil paints and thus commenced her life long relationship with painting. It was the look of the paints right out of the tube, the smell of the turpentine, the spring of the canvas, and the most importantly image that miraculously arose in front her. Terra, now 21, has only increased her interest in painting.
She continued taking private lessons with various teachers up until she began her academic training in Florence, Italy in 2008. One of her private instructors was a Bulgarian man named Dimitar Krustev. It was Krustev who pointed Terra straight in the direction of Florence, Italy and to its classical academies of fine art. Terra found that the academies of Florence were exactly what she had been searching for and began the full time academic program at Angel Academy of Art in 2008.
Terra attended Angel Academy for two years and became a student teacher during her last year. She loved teaching at the academy and began instructing workshops of her own as well as hosting private lessons. Terra transferred to Florence Academy of Art in 2010 and remained there until graduating in December of 2011. At the Florence Academy she learned additional painting techniques and experimented with the figure in sculpture. She will be continuing with further studies at the Russian Academy of Art also located in Florence.
Terra began accepting commissions at 12, ranging from landscapes to portraits. In-between her academic studies she has had studio shows, and group and solo exhibitions at various galleries and organizations, including the Annigoni museum in Florence and the Medlin Art Gallery in Leesburg Virginia.
An Artist Statement, by the artist.
My life has always been consumed by art. Art has kneaded, shaped, prodded, and passionately influenced the course of my life. While I experience the process of painting as calming and meditative it is at the same time extremely exhilarating and thrilling. For me, art is by no means an escape from the world, but rather a way to open my eyes wide to it. While painting, any mindless 'chatter' falls away and all that is left is the captivating beauty of the subject and everything that it represents.
Each of my finished pieces is an sheer surprise to me. I am thrilled by the way an image gradually appears on the canvas before me. I constantly experiment with new methods, mediums, paints, and styles. The goal of which is to gain the ability to wield the knowledge from these experiments in order to suit whatever creative need I have.
For me, art is something that functions with the same processes and systems as found in nature. I believe that an artist must strive to master the use of those patterns of nature and forge them into their desired creation. Nature willingly gives the humble artist abundant material to work from. Art should posses a timeless quality to it and this is something that I strive for in all of my works. It is then that the works can be admired by all generations of human beings and understand that it is connected with something within them too. I believe that the purpose of art is certainly not to portray solely the idea of the individual human, of the artist, but rather that of all humanity. This is largely the reason why I am so interested in working with the human figure, as opposed to a still life of an iPod or the like. What is so arresting and puzzling and fascinating about the human figure are the same as those found in the universe. For inspiration and guidance I have only to look around me to nature, however, I am also constantly visiting museums to study the masterful works of past artists, such as Jose de Ribera.
Art is contemplation. It is the pleasure of the mind which searches into nature and there defines the spirit of which Nature herself is animated- Auguste Rodin
Education:
Angel Academy of Art, studied under John Michael Angel, Florence, Italy, 2008-2010
Florence Academy of Art, gradutated, under Daniel Graves, Florence Italy 2010-2011
Teaching:
2009-2010 student teacher at Angel Academy
2009 Portrait workshop in Ajijic, Mexico
Awards
2011-2012 The Art Renewal Center Scholarship: Second Place monetary scholarship
2010-2011 The Art Renewal Center Scholarship: Winner of First place monetary scholarship
2011 Honorable Mention for "The Siren" in the Utrecht Competition
2011 First Place figurative Expo at Infinity Gallery Online with "The Slave"
2009 Honorable Mention, Art Space Herndon, Expressions Portrait Competition
2009 Best of Show, League of Reston Artists, Paint and Beyond
2008 League of Reston Artists, Scholarship Winner
2005 Honorable Mention, Vienna Art Society, Teen Exhibition
Exhibitions:
2010 Annigoni's Legacy, Villa Bardini, Florence , Italy. Students of the Angel Academy of Art
2010 Art Space Herndon, Virginia, In the Shadow of Giants, Trio show along with Jamie Egner and Teresa Oaxaca.
2010 Old House Vineyards, Culpepper Virginia, Solo show
2009 Open Studio Solo Exhibition of Drawings and Paintings, Herndon, Va
2009 Painting and Beyond, USGS center, Fairfax, VA, group juried show.
2009 Art of Sei Divino Wine Bar, Student Exhibition, Florence, Italy
2009 Angel Academy of Art Annual Student Exhibition, Florence, Italy, group juried show.
2008 Open Studio Solo Show, Herndon, Va
2003-2008 Medlin Art Gallery, Group Juried Show
2007 Tresury of Art Show, Vienna Art Soceity, Group Juried Show
Press:
American Artist Drawing Magazine Spring/Summer issue (to come) 2012
American Artist Drawing magazine Summer Issue 2011, Cover Competion, "Mrs. Moncrief After Henry Raeburn"
American Artist Drawing Magazine Summer Issue 2010, "Guilio"
Elan Magazine "Rising Star" Jan 2010
Upcoming Events and Exhibits
Upcoming Workshops
Other Web Pages that Terra Chapman Recommends you visit
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