Blake A. Chamness

Blake A. Chamness (b. 1987, Illinois, United States)

I am exploring the idea of a collective visual conscience that we have as a globalizing society. Our culture is overwhelmingly visual. The Internet has given us access to a seemingly endless supply of picture information that anyone can contribute to or draw from. It is the tangible, seeable, searchable body of knowledge from our place in history.

In my artwork I aim to transfigure some of that barrage of information, to turn the reportage into metaphor, the factual into poetry.  My childhood interests of science fiction, storytelling, and the natural world hold heavy sway in my artwork.  The imagery I create reflects my curiosity of exploration and oddity. Strange and ominous characters emerge to create a haunting narrative throughout my body of work,reminiscent of monster movies, campfire stories, science textbooks, and tattered comic pages.

Education 

Metropolitan State University of Denver, Art K-12 Teaching License, 2012

Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design, Bachelor of Fine Arts, 2009

Solo and Feature Exhibitions

2017 Apophenia, Next Gallery, Denver CO

2016 Invalid Nuance, Eli Taylor West, Next Gallery, Denver CO

2015 Robotanical, guest artist spot, Valkarie Gallery, Lakewood CO 

2015 Transpiration, Next Gallery, Denver CO

2015 Impermanence, with Chris Cain,  Next Gallery, Denver CO

2014  INNER MYTHS, Next Gallery, Denver CO

Group Exhibitions

2017 Current Climate, group exhibition Next Gallery, Denver CO

2015 Screenplay, Helikon Gallery, Denver CO 

2015 Grimm: Visions of the Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales, Helikon Gallery, Denver, CO

2014  Collaboration, Next Gallery, Denver CO

2014 Volume,  Helikon Gallery, Denver CO  Curated by Emily J. Moore

2014  Holy Moly juried exhibition, Niza Knoll Gallery, Denver CO  Juror:  Mark Penner Howell 

2014  ROBO2 juried exhibition, Good Thieves Press, Denver CO

2014  New Life juried exhibition, Next Gallery, Denver CO  Juror:  Bonnie Ferrill Roman 

2013 - 2017 Member Holiday Show, Next Gallery, Denver CO

2013  Art Rodeo:  RedLine's 4th Annual Artist Bacchanal, Redline Gallery, Denver CO

2010 Artbash, Robischon Gallery, Denver CO

2009 Rmcad Graduate Show, Phillip J. Steele Gallery, Lakewood CO

2009 RMCAD Student Art Show, RMCAD Campus, Lakewood CO

2008 RMCAD Student Art Show, RMCAD Campus, Lakewood CO

2008 Artbash, Phillip J. Steele Gallery, Lakewood CO

Memberships

2013-Present  Co-Director and Member, Next Co-op Gallery, Denver CO

2013-Present  Colorado Art Educators Association

Teaching and Student Collaborations

2013-2018 Visual Arts Teacher, Weld Central Middle School, Keenesburg CO

2012  Participated in the One Million Bones project with students from Casey Middle School and Boulder High School.

2012  Visual Art Student Teaching, Whittier Elementary and Casey Middle School, Boulder CO

2012  EPIC Arts Exhibition, Redline Gallery, Denver CO -- Collaborated with teacher Sarah Shay and students from the Odyssey School to create stop motion videos addressing the theme of social justice

2012  Guest artist, Colorado Academy, Denver CO  -- Brainstormed with students to create a mural design for a mosaic installation 

2011  Epic Arts Exhibition, Redline Gallery, Denver CO – Collaborated with artist Derrick Velasquez, teacher Sarah Chung, and students from AXL Academy to create stencil artwork addressing the theme of social justice.

Publication

2014  20 Questions with Blake A. Chamness by Emily J Moore,  Helikon Gallery Blog

2011-2012  Staff Illustrator for the UCD Advocate, CU Denver’s Weekly Student-run Newspaper 

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