Published in
the Weekly Volcano, Dec. 4, 2014
Nancy Thorne
Chambers’ installation “A Story Place” is the culmination of a lifelong dream
for the Olympia artist. A retired therapist, illustrator and self-taught
ceramic artist, Chambers has long wanted to create a life size storybook world.
Imagine this:
an 8 x 10-foot diorama featuring 30 life-size woodland creatures — anthropomorphized
bears, squirrels, birds, a fox and a skunk, ducks and butterflies all dressed
in their finest outfits and gathered in a sunny glade to listen to a girl read
a tale from a storybook — everything from the leaves on the trees to the leaves
of the book made from kiln-fired and painted ceramics. The artist taught
herself to create this idyllic scene, and her brilliant and exceedingly handy
husband, Lee Chambers, invented, designed and built special equipment for
moving the delicate pieces and lifting them in and out of the kiln.
Every piece,
from a mouse couple’s tiny tea set to a gentle bear wearing a red vest and
carrying a book of poetry, is handmade and painted. Each piece is realistic and
precise in detail, albeit imaginative. Here in this glade reality and
imagination live together in comfort. Chambers diligently searched for just the
right clothing and other props for her creatures and then sculpted and painted
them with meticulous care. Note the expression on the face of the little girl
in her blue party dress with one long blue stocking fallen to the ground. Note
details like the butterfly on the stump next to her. Note that the book she is
reading is the story of the piece itself — the story of the little girl herself
and her woodland friends (the cover of the book she holds is a picture of the
installation). Note the dignity of the
fancy-dressed pig and the quizzical expression on the beaver’s face. Every
detail shows great observation, skill and love on the part of the artist.
I cannot
imagine Matter Gallery, normally crowded with paintings, sculpture and hundreds
of found-art pieces, as a setting for this installation; yet this artist-run
gallery is the first venue (hopefully the first of many) to offer a public
showing. It opened Sunday, Nov. 30 with a reception and an afternoon of
readings, and will be on view until Dec. 29. I have not yet seen the work in
place at Matter, but I visited the artist’s studio to see it on a couple of
occasions and was greatly impressed.
The piece is homage to a daughter
the artist lost as a young adult, and it is her way of sharing the things they
both loved, giving them back to the world. She hopes it will eventually find a
home in some place like a children’s hospital where it can give joy to
thousands of children. I would love to see it travel to museums and libraries
all over the country until it finds a permanent home in a place where it can be
easily accessible.
Believe me, as
you’re reading this: photographic reproductions do not begin to do the work
justice. It needs to be seen in person. If you don’t take your children to see
anything else during this holiday season, be sure to take them to Matter
Gallery to see “A Story Place.”
A Story Place,
Wed.-Sat., 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tue. And Sun. noon to 5 p.m., Matter Gallery, 422 Washington St. SE, Olympia,
360-943-1760, http://www.matteroly.com/
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