Page 3 - Br. Chapman :: Opening the Gift

All of creation is a gift. She pulses with ink, oils, acrylics, and clay interact with
invitations to each of the senses. See, colors and shapes. His hands and eyes
hear, touch, smell, and taste all that explore what emerges as he seeks to give
awaits the one with the curiosity, the expression to feelings and insights.
courage, the energy, and the willingness
to penetrate the wrapping, the veil, the Each stroke is part of a larger movement.
envelope of this cornucopia. He explains that he paints with his
whole body.
Kenneth Chapman has dedicated his
life and talent to opening his senses to The gift he has shared in hundreds of
such treasures. paintings offers an exegesis of his faith
journey. Hopefully one day a group of
Opening the Gift is a brief introduction to theologians, scripture scholars, artists,
the artist and to his works. It follows the astrophysicists, and mystics, will take on
development of his talents from a time the challenge and the joys of seeing anew
of childhood illness, his call to religious where Brother Chapman’s journey has
brotherhood and teaching, graduate brought him. May they open the gift to
studies, and a series of assignments those of us who have been touched by his
that bring him to Chicago, a mission to art and want to know more. Meanwhile,
Native American children, to Rome, and this brief presentation serves as an
eventually to the role of artist in residence invitation to begin unwrapping the gift.
at Iona University, New Rochelle, NY.

The gift that has distinguished Brother
Chapman’s art has been his contemplative
engagement in the materials at hand
and their relationship to a growing
awareness of the wonders of creation
and the inspirations of scripture. Canvas,