Richmond – Conveniently located next to the Magazine33 tent at Camp Barefoot, Chapin Mathews displays his various creations to the festival masses.  A featured artist at this year’s festival, Chapin not only has a vending permit and tent to sell his work, but has also been asked to “live paint” during select sets at the main stage, something he has experimented with on a smaller scale at local shows in Richmond.  “I really dig painting next to a stage,” says Chapin.  “You really get in a flow with the beat.” 

Chapin recently graduated from VCU Art School with a B.F.A. in Craft and Material Studies, concentrating in glass and ceramics.  These works can all be found for sale in his tent – anywhere from ceramic cups and bowls to glass jewelry, jars, and pendants.  However, since graduating, resources and facilities have been limited in this field, so Chapin has returned his focus, partly by necessity, to the realm of 2-D art.  At Camp Barefoot 4, Chapin produced two pieces of live painting – one during sets by RAQ and the Breakfast, and the other during DJ Williams Projekt and the Silo Effect. 

Despite his expertise in crafts, Chapin is no stranger to the brush, as one can find any number of previous works for sale at his vending booth.  Making an effort to keep his work affordable, minimalist silkscreen prints were sold for $10-$15, while his series of “cosmic” paintings topped off at $20.  He even raffled off the live painting he did at last year’s Camp Barefoot. 

While one can see the diversity in his work by a mere glance at his tent, certain threads continue to appear.  One specialty is landscapes; however, these are not your grandmother’s landscapes.  Chapin takes nature and merges it with the mystical and ethereal, giving his work a very cerebral quality, as if bringing out the neurological energy within the natural setting.  His second live painting from the Barefoot weekend is a perfect example.  Perhaps it is the context in which these paintings are made that create this effect.  States Chapin, “The reason I do live painting is because it’s such a great collaboration.  The art and music  bounce off of each other.  Plus, the crowd vibes, too.”  He continues, “Most of the reason I paint alone is to be meditative, but you can only be but so  meditative when painting live.  It is more like a dance.” 

Chapin’s work can be found at the Phobeus Gallery in Hampton, as well as the Laurel Gallery in Glen Allen, not to mention most any local festival you have the good fortune of attending. 

Contact Chapin at seekcreativespirit@gmail.com, or check out 

ChapinMathews-SolarArt.tumblr.com

By Editor-In-Chief and Correspondent: Andrew Lutwin

Andrew is originally from Boston, but has spent equal time in Richmond and considers both home.  He graduated VCU with a B.A. in English and looks forward to seeing if his degree will be worth a damn.  While attending Northeastern University, Andrew began covering music for the Zig-Zag Live website and tour campaign, which won him the undying affection of Bostonians because of his access to free rolling papers.  He is fortunate enough to have parents with great taste in music and owes much of his musical sensibilities to them.  Some of his favorites include the Beatles, the Clash, My Morning Jacket, Mastodon, Mission of Burma, all 70s R&B, and anything that can be considered "outlaw."  Other hobbies include food, guitar, whiskey, hiking, Boston sports, and maintaining his beginner-level fish tank.