About Samantha Williams-Chapelsky
Samantha Williams-Chapelsky completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Alberta in 2009, with distinction, majoring in painting and art history. Samantha showcases her work in both public and commercial galleries each year across Canada and is most known for her abstracted landscape paintings using textured acrylic and oil paints.
Artist Statement
Taking inspiration from the stunning beauty of Canada’s vast and diverse terrain, I create large-scale landscapes that employ techniques of impressionist and expressionist abstraction in order to harness the powerful emotions these spaces can evoke. A devotion to process and materials anchors my work, which employs a range of tools—including brooms and palette knives. I apply litres of oil and acrylic paint to birch panels, along with a selection of paste media. The goal, ultimately, is to express a sympathy between my naturalistic subject matter and the constituent elements of my practice. Variety is fundamental; the work has distinct finishes, sheens, and textures ranging the full spectrum of surfaces, from a vivid shine to a tranquil matte to an energetic texture that might suggest the turmoil of a particular topography or cloudscape. Complementing these textural elements are gestural marks and rich colour palettes. What unfolds is an artistic journey in which I am guided intuitively toward the optimal form-content harmony that captures the magnificence of these natural environments. I am inspired by the works of Georgia O’Keeffe, Lee Krasner, and Helen Frankenthaler and their commitment to the splendour of nature and to the human search for a place therein. Ultimately, my own process of discovery is shared with my viewers, who are invited to connect and engage with the work of art in both a sensorial and emotional capacity, and in turn reflect on their own investment and involvement within the profound relationship between humanity and landscape.
Current CV for Samantha Williams-Chapelsky is available on request.