Works by University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Professor Gary Chapman, M.F.A., will be featured in exhibitions at two north Alabama galleries. A mixed-media painter, Chapman has taught painting and drawing at UAB since 1990. He is a realist artist whose dramatic narrative paintings integrate past and present styles and subjects.
Carnegie Visual Arts Center will present Chapman’s exhibit “The Helmet Project,” May 17-June 29, 2013. The solo show includes oil on canvas paintings and photographs of the paintings displayed in thought-provoking locales throughout Alabama. The exhibit will open with an artist’s reception at 5 p.m. on May 17. Inspired by the catastrophic events of 9/11 and human observation and introspection, Chapman proposed a theory that evolved into a series of paintings: “At 8 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2001, it was easy to perceive our lives as serene; we were safe. Even while Bernie Madoff’s crimes were being exposed, most saw our economy, our country, as prosperous; we led the world. And while the scientific community embraces a vision of quantum mechanics and string theory, shattering our basic understanding of the observable universe, we are left behind only capable of viewing Newton’s world; we are blind. We are a visually biased society, living in a time in which we can no longer believe in what we see.”
Chapman will speak about his art and creative process at noon on June 21. The Lunch & Learn event is free to the public, but reservations are encouraged because of limited seating. Attendees may bring their own lunches. Call 256-341-0562 to make reservations. Regular viewing hours are Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The Carnegie is located at 207 Church St. NE, Decatur, Ala.
The Huntsville Museum of Art will present “Connections: Gary Chapman/Carolyn Sherer,” May 18-Sept. 22. This is the second exhibition in a new series at the Museum focused on contemporary regional artists whose work is linked by subject matter and shared sensibilities. The exhibition will feature works which address aspects of coming of age and gender identity in the new millennium. The museum will kick off the exhibit’s opening with a gallery walk with both artists from 2-3 p.m. Sunday, May 19. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about the connections in the artists’ works. The museum’s Foundation Board will host a reception following the program. The Museum is also publishing a 16-page catalog for the show. The catalog is made possible by the support of Lydia Cheney and Jim Sokol.
Museum hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., with extended hours Thursday until 8 p.m., and Sunday 1-4 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults; $8 for military, students, teachers and seniors with a valid ID; and $5 for children ages 6-11. Admission for museum members and children under 6 is free.