BRIAN
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In his time at Santa Barbara City College, Chessmar received a purchase award for a drawing, an honorable mention in drawing and painting and, in 2002, was named Student of the Year in Studio Art. It was in his explorations at school that he found and embraced the techniques of the fabrication of steel and bronze sculptural forms. In the end, he realized that the sculptural form was his forte. He graduated Phi Theta Kappa with an AA from Santa Barbara City College, and continued his education at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago with a scholarship award. In Chicago, Chessmar showed his work "Lovers" in the Magnificent Mile Exhibit and received Honorable Mention in the Remit Corporation "Shaping the Future" Competition. During this period, Chessmar was discovered by Aristides Demetrios who mentored him in his newly found passion- the fabrication techniques of bronze and steel sculpture. Ironically, Aristides' father, George Demetrios, had been trained by Bourdelle, a student of Rodin. While working with Demetiros, Chessmar soon found his own direction, developed his own style and began to investigate the relationship between sculptural form and the material." "The Artist's Work"Chessmar chooses steel or bronze to suit the form as well as the philosophical concept he wishes to convey. He prefers steel as a medium, in some instances, because it allows him to push the physical limits of balance in his use of geometric, organic and curvilinear forms. He pays equal attention to the finish. For instance, in Chessmar's "On the Edge Triptych", he fabricates steel figures, in various poses, perched on crude I-beams. The contradiction of the crude steel I-beam and the polished steel figure, in itself, hints of man rising out of the mire of his own nature, in the constant struggle against his own nature. Each pose represents a different stage of being "On the Edge Triptych ". The surface is polished so that when the observer looks into the head of the bronze figure "Limbo", he sees a ghost like reflection as if looking at his own spirit. Thus, allowing the observer to have a personal interaction with the piece.
As products of our environment, humanity, as represented by the individual in Chessmar's work, is constantly struggling spiritually in order to achieve harmony within himself and, consequently, the universe. His forms, themselves, communicate the question of man's relationship to himself, society and the universe. |
Brian Chessmar was born in the Los Angeles, but was raised in his maternal family's
home of Santa Barbara. However, before returning to Santa Barbara, from age seven
to nine, he spent two years in Paris, where he was exposed to the art that influenced
him for the rest of his life. Every day he wandered the streets of Paris under
the eves of the architectural wonders of the past. And, though he was impressed
by the works of the Louvre, the Rodin museum was his favorite and influenced him
in ways he could not have imagined. He returned to the United States, fluent in
French and sensitive to the role of art in the world. Chessmar continued in his
studies with art always in the background of his life. In 1989, upon meeting a
stone sculptor, who offered to train him in the techniques of stone sculpting,
he began working in stone. While perfecting
his technique, he realized that he wanted to explore other mediums as well. He
returned to school to explore the boundaries of each medium.
In other works, Chessmar deals with the balance or lack of balance between the self and
its conditions. In considering this precarious balance, Chessmar's work exhibits
the relationship of the body, mind and soul to the environment. It is
imperative that these elements be in harmony with their surroundings in order
to maintain a healthy spiritual condition.Brian Chessmar • Santa Barbara, California
Telephone 805-637-7548,
bchessmar@aol.com