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Thursday, March 27, 2014

Meet Donna Chambers


Donna Chambers joins the Starving Artist Expo for the first time this year a Rome Art Coterie Spotlighted Artist. 
Donna S. Chambers, Rome, GA

Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself. Do you come from a big family? Are you from the south? Do you speak another language?
I am a Southern American, born and raised, with a British mother thrown in for a little spice. Being born to a "foreign" mother and into a large Catholic family was not quite the norm in the Mississippi Delta in 1955. This also meant I grew up in a place of turbulence. Witnessing the tension between races, religions and such groups as the KKK put a ding in my 'wonder years' and, thankfully, made me well aware of the terrible consequences that hate fosters within people. I am still a true daughter of the South and value the love for others that mostly rings throughout her borders.

Q: Please describe your work. What makes it different from other art in the same field?
My art is flavored with the written word that is melded through altered art into expressions that range from simple human experiences to somewhat esoteric leanings.

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about the process your work goes through?
I am not a formally trained artist which has given me quite a bit of freedom to roam, explore and experiment. This means I only know my own right and wrong. Much of my need to express something through art begins with an object that becomes attached to thoughts and words and forms visions and dreams that need to be expressed.


Q: What prompted you to become and artist?
The overwhelming need to express my thoughts, ideas and humor came to the forefront in my life. It was an unexpected blessing.

Q: What is one of the biggest failures you have faced as an artist?
Failure for an artist can be defined by what one expects from his art. With this in mind, I have felt little failure because I have the chance to express myself with my art. My biggest failures lay within my personality and having the courage to put one's self expression before others and to promote yourself.

Q: What is one of your biggest successes as an artist?
My biggest success was to stand and declare myself an artist.

Q: Aside from creating, what is another passion of yours?
All passion involves creation. I love to garden and even enjoy the less beautiful sounding activity of yard work!

Q: Please share some humor you have found in your artistic endeavors.
I stood near a lady as she pondered my work at a show. The piece was a mixed media collage.
The whole nine yards of collected images- fused with paints and inks- was mounted, framed, displayed and hung majestically. Her comment - "Boy, I bet there are a lot of cut up magazines in that house!" But she seemed entertained, which was fun to see.

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