Angielena Chamberlain

Born in Savannah, Georgia in 1970  

Artist statement 2009

 

I moved to Seattle in 1986 when I was 16 years old. I loved the city and the stimulus of all the museums, galleries and beautiful natural environment. I was an outsider (untrained) artist until ten years ago when I started taking classes at Gage (then the Academy of Realist Art) and Cornish College of the Arts. While at Cornish I learned the new skill of Printmaking for which I fell in love with immediately.  In the process of developing ideas for my woodblocks I draw inspiration from the German expressionist print movement called Die Brucke. This movement (1905 to 1925) was founded by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and included many impressive artists including Emil Nolde and Erich Heckel. Although the group was mostly made up of men, Kathe Kollwittz was also considered a fringe member. Her woodblocks convey a strong feeling of historical angst that was so prevalent during the war years especially. I feel it is this emotional element that makes any piece of art powerful. I wish to balance this intensity with a sense of reverent playfulness. 

 

Angielena Chamberlain 2009