Artist's Statement
Art is one way to understand the relationship between humans and the earth. Our intrinsic and complex connections to the wider community of animals, plants and land are the center of my art work. The layering of symbols records my understanding of these connections. I am also interested in the persistence and interplay of visual symbols from various cultures and across time. The use of expressive line and color draws the attention to the importance of the physical and tactile nature of creating art. Symbolic use of colors, shapes and animal forms dominate my image construction. Using a wide range of media allows me to layer ideas through physically layering images. The physical presence of the art is an important part of the process and each of these materials allow me to leave traces of my physical interaction with the art.
Ultimately, I am interested in the art object and to inspire others to contemplate the importance of understanding our relationship to the earth in contemporary society.
Biography
Linda Chappel’s formal studies in art began at the University of Madison, Wisconsin where she was fortunate to study in the sculpture department with Dan Reitz, George Cramer, and Truman Lowe. She graduated from Madison with a bachelor degree in the Fine Arts in 1986. After graduation, she worked in various fields and as a fine artist in Santa Fe and Seattle and showed in a number of galleries, including the OK Hotel and FLN in Seattle. In 1992 Linda decided to further her studies and came to the University of Arizona at Tucson for a Graduate degree in Art History and was awarded a Master’s Degree in Art History, specializing in Mexican Art History. She is currently an instructor at Tohono O'odham Community College and shows her work throughout the Southwest.
CV
LINDA L. CHAPPEL
2315 East Blacklidge Drive
Tucson AZ, 85719
http://lindalchappel.com/artist
EMPLOYMENT
2023-current Adjunct Instructor, Fine Arts, Tohono O’odham Community College, Sells, Arizona
2015-2023 Area chair and Instructor, Fine Arts, Tohono O’odham Community College, Sells, Arizona
2015-2016 Museum Educator/Collections Management, Tucson Desert Art Museum
2007-2015 Lead Instructor, Foundation Arts, Art Institute of Tucson
2001-2007 Instructor of Art and Art History, Tucson Design College 1998-2000 Instructor of Art and Art History, Art Center Design College, Tucson Arizona
EDUCATION
1986 University of Madison, Wisconsin B.S. Fine Art
1997 University of Arizona, Tucson M.A. Art History
SELECT EXHIBITIONS
Arizona Biennial, October 2024, Juried Group Exhibition, Tucson Museum of Art, Arizona
Small Works, February 2024, Juried Group Exhibition, Untitled Gallery, Tucson, Arizona
Celebrating Santa Cruz, September 2023, Juried Group Exhibition, Tubac Center for the Arts, Tubac Arizona
Encaustic Art, July 2022, Juried Group Exhibition, Ventana Gallery, Tucson, Arizona
On the Wild Side, January 2017, Juried Group Exhibition, Four Corners Gallery, Tucson, Arizona
L.L. Chappel and Susan Hodges, December 2016, Two-person exhibit, Galeria Sentia, Tucson, Arizona
Miracles, September 2015, Juried Group Exhibition, Krikwana Gallery, Tucson Arizona
Arts Exchange, January 2015, College Arts Association Conference, Juried Group Exhibition, New York, New York
Lost and Found, August 2014, Raices Taller 222, Juried Group Exhibition, Tucson, Arizona
Cycles, Jewish Community Center, September 2014, Juried Group Exhibition, Tucson, Arizona
Refractions, April 2014, Tucson Pima Arts Council, three-person exhibit, Tucson, Arizona
Love Your Mother (Earth) April 2014 The Drawing Studio, Juried Group Exhibition, Tucson Arizona
Neo-Mimbreno, August 2013, Juried group exhibition, Western New Mexico University Museum and Silver City Museum, Silver City, New Mexico
Mujeres, Mujeres, April 2013, Raices Taller 222, Juried Group Exhibition, Tucson, Arizona
Utopian Dreams, September 2012, juried by Kathryn Hratko, STEP Gallery, Arizona State University, Phoeni,x Arizona
Neo-Mimbreno, August 2012, Juried group exhibition, Western New Mexico University Museum, Silver City, New Mexico
Recollections, November 2011, solo exhibition, Arts Marketplace Gallery, Tucson Arizona
1st- 5th Annual Staff and Faculty Shows, May 2009-13, juried group shows, Art Institute of Tucson, Tucson, Arizona
Polos de Pueblo, April 2009, group show, Dinnerware Gallery, Tucson, Arizona
Twenty-Eight Bowls, November 1990, group show, AFLN Gallery, Seattle, Washington
Environments, June 1990, O.K. Hotel Gallery, juried exhibition, Seattle, Washington
Choose, June 1989, solo exhibition, AFLN Gallery, Seattle, Washington
Outdoor Sculpture, August 1988, group show, AFLN Gallery, Seattle Washington
Incubator, April 1988, group show, Main Plant, Seattle, Washington
Projectors and Receptors, May 1987, Solo exhibition, Reller/Beffle Studios, Seattle, Washington
Group Show, February 1987, Reller/Beffle Studios, Seattle Washington
Cathedral Park Art Show, August 1986, open group show, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Peace Park, May 1986, juried group show, Madison, Wisconsin
GRANTS and AWARDS
2024 "Personal Development Grant" awarded through Arizona Commission on the Arts. Grant award was in support of a 2-week residency at Power and Lights Press in Silver City New Mexico.
2023 "Nightbloom" Grant awarded through Museum of Contemporary Art Tucson (MOCA). Collaboration with 5 young Tohono O'odham and Yoeme artists, I taught 2 workshops, we used funds to set up an exhibition of their work at Untitled Gallery in Tucson Arizona.
2022 and 2023 "Native Arts and Culture" grant awarded through American Indian College Fund; served as grant administrator; first year set up 3 workshops for Tohono O'odham 3 artists with 15 students attending each of the weekend workshops. Second year 1 artist taught class of 15 students over the course of 8 weekend workshops.
CURATION
2024 March “Whispers in the Wind” Tohono O’odham and Yaqui Artists, Untitled Gallery, Tucson, Arizona
2015 “Eye Dazzlers” Assistant to curator, Tucson Desert Art Museum, Tucson Arizona
2007-2015 Ai Gallery, Art Institute of Tucson, Curated 6 shows yearly including invitational solo shows, student shows and juried group exhibitions
PUBLICATIONS
Book review, “Michel Chiago: O’odham Lifeways through At” Tribal College Journal of American Indian Higher Education, Fall, 2025
Book review, “Making History: IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Art”, Tribal College Journal of American Indian Higher Education, April 25, 2022
Illustrations, Off the Wall, issue #1 and #2, 1991-92, award for local literary publication, Bumbershoot Festival, Seattle, WS
Illustrations, Opinion Rag, Winter 1998,
Illustrations, Possessed, 1988-1989, issues #1- #4
Linda L. Chappel
