Today we’d like to introduce you to Graham Chapman.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
My father was a filmmaker. I’d always been in his videos growing up and as I grew up, I’d make my own videos with my brother and cousins. This eventually led to me going to Columbia College Chicago where I studied the editorial side of film. At this point, I thought it’d be a good idea to get a camera- to practice shooting video and editing.
That camera ended up leading me into the photography world and- as cliché as it sounds-changed my life. I began using it for still photography and became very interested shooting the streets of Chicago. I eventually started posting my work on Instagram which led to several photography meet-ups where I’d end up meeting some of my best friends.
The opportunities that I’ve gotten from picking up that camera are things I’d never imagined. It’s given me friendships I’d never thought I’d have. Its help be an outlet for creativity I never knew I needed
Please tell us about your art.
My favorite thing to do is take pictures of the moments in plain sight and bring them to life.
Things people may glance at or not even notice- I try to make those moments of those people/places/things seem extraordinary. Whether its catching someone at a unique moment crossing the street or finding some light that hits a train car in just the right way- these simple sights are what I aim to capture and share.
There’s not a whole lot of messaging behind my images other than I want whoever sees it to connect to it in some way. How they connect, that’s up to them. If it brings out anger, good. Sadness, great. Joy, excellent! I’m not going out and creating things with a specific emotion in mind.
Again, to be cliché, I’m capturing moments as they’re thrown at me. Also… I just like to take pictures of things that look cool.
What do you think about conditions for artists today? Has life become easier or harder for artists in recent years? What can cities like ours do to encourage and help art and artists thrive?
I think the conditions for artists is in a decent spot. There’s lot of inspiration out there and it seems like more and more people are out there creating, as it’s easier to do with all of the technology that exists. That being said, it is a very saturated industry. So if you’re an artist that makes a living off of your art, it may be a little tougher as there’s always competition.
I think being in Chicago is a big bonus for artists. This city offers so much opportunity that if you’re looking for it, it’s hard to miss.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
From time to time I have work in galleries, but most of my work is on my
Instagram page: @gh_chapman.
To support my work, give me a follow and take a look! Everything on my Instagram is available for print. I can be contacted at grahamhenrychapman@gmail.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: grahamhenrychapman.com
- Email: grahamhenrychapman@gmail.com
- Instagram: @gh_chapman
- Twitter: @ghchapman
Image Credit:
Graham Chapman © 2018
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