TELL ME ABOUT TOM CHAMBERS...

Tom Chambers was born and raised on a farm in the Amish country of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Tom completed a B.F.A. in 1985 from Ringling School of Art, Sarasota, Florida with an emphasis in graphic design and strong interest in photography. For many years Tom has worked as a graphic designer, including the design of packaging and magazines. Since 1998 Tom has devoted himself to photomontage for sharing the intriguing unspoken stories which reflect his view of the world and elicit feelings in the viewer.

INTERVIEW WITH THE MAN
Technology has allowed us like never before to create whole new worlds and visuals experiences. A photographer who has been actively creating his own dreamlike vision of the world is Tom Chambers. His digital photo montages have been featured in multiple galleries world wide. We decided to ask Tom a few questions about his work

You started as a graphic designer and have described yourself as more of an illustrator, but when did you get into photography and how did these previous experiences change or influence your approach? Do you think this changes your perspective on photography?

I completed a B.F.A. in 1985 from Ringling School of Art in Sarasota, Florida with an emphasis in graphic design and strong interest in photography. Over many years I worked as a graphic designer, including the design of flat printed material, packaging, and magazines. Through work as an art director I became attuned to a wide range of photographic approaches and the ability of computer software, such as Photoshop, to enhance artistic expression through photography. Since 1998 I have devoted myself to creating photomontage, when I was not at work as a graphic designer. Without a doubt, my work as a graphic designer has enhanced my abilities for design and use of color.

Mexican art plays a role in some of your work and you have spent some time working in Mexico and have had some shows in South America. What do you think of the Mexican art scene in comparison to America?

I have benefitted from friendships with Mexican artists, including writers, photographers, and painters who have inspired me to see the world through a different lens. In addition, I have been honored to have been featured on the Mexican online site called Zone Zero www.zonezero.com, the oldest website devoted to photography. Most importantly, my work has been influenced by traditional spiritual and religious art, especially ex votos (paintings giving thanks for a miracle) and ceremonial dance masks.

What are some other influences that are important to you?

My recent Marwari series was inspired by the ancient Rajput art and the legend of the stallion Chetak. Having grown up on a Pennsylvania farm, the Entropic Kingdom series was inspired by Andrew Wyeth’s rural landscapes, characterized by subtle, but powerful emotion. The Rite of Passage series was influenced by my family life and watching my daughter’s transition from childhood to adolescence. Both my early Ex Votos series and the Dreaming in Reverse series were shaped by my connection with Mexican culture.

Do you think your work could be viewed as fitting into the genre of “magical realism”?

I clearly believe that my photomontage fits well within the genre of “magic realism”. Magic realism is a term used in art and literature referring to a situation or setting in which all seems true and believable, except for one or more elements which lend an air of improbability. In my recent Dreaming in Reverse series I employ magic realism to express the loss experienced by the indigenous Mexican people, as well as to celebrate the beauty of the Mexican culture.

It seems that now a lot of people become familiar with an artists work through the Internet via artists’ websites, blogs, etc. before ever seeing the work in a gallery or in a printed form. How do you think this affects the viewer in regards to your own work?

The internet has allowed a wide range of artists to share their work with a broad range of viewers. Like many artists I have a personal website and Facbook page where I share my photography. In addition, I have participated in a number of online galleries, including Silver Eye New Works Online Gallery, Plates to Pixels, Burn, and Zone Zero. Several blog sites have chosen to write about me and my work, including Aline Smithson’s Lenscratch and Elizabeth Avedon’s Blogspot. All of this online exposure has allowed me to share my artwork with fellow photographers and those that appreciate photography from around the globe. In turn I have been inspired by connections with fellow artists throught these online venues. However, it is my galleries that are most helpful to me in connecting my artwork with potential buyers who would enjoy having my artwork in their homes.

How do you come up with the concepts for your images?

The concepts for my images are inspired by travel, music, and literature, as well as daydreaming and musing about possibilities.

Your images are created from constructing multiple images in a computer, but apart from compositing the images together how much do you manipulate them?

The images are manipulated through Photoshop software which provides many options for combining and modifying images. Typically I adjust my images for color shift and saturation, adding color “overlays”, and adjusting contrast and intensity (light to dark).

Many of the scenarios in your photos seem to fit right into Vladimir Propp’s morphology of fairy tales. Your work specifically “Entropic Kingdom” deals, like fairy tales, with larger issues in a very fantastic manner. Do you think that “The Fantastic” is something that is missing from contemporary culture?

I intend for my photographs to encourage the viewer to use the imagination to elaborate upon a story or the fleeting moments of an emotion expressed in a photomontage. Less and less in life do we use our imaginations. Beginning in childhood, our children today spend more time in structured activities than in free play in the outdoors. The rules are written for children, rather than allowing children to create rules and experiences through imaginary play. This continues on into adolescence where young people are more connected to “screens”, rather than creating with their hands and minds. As adults, we are attracted to prescribed ways of behaving, and this conformity dulls the imagination. Art is very important for stimulating novel ways of viewing the world and innovative ways of connecting ideas.

Drawing comparisons between your work and other photographers working with photomontage such as Simen Johan, why do you choose to focus on children so frequently in your images? Johan has stated that he chooses to use children because they represent “that which we do intuitively, on instinct, not through knowledge or practice.” What is your thought behind the inclusion of children in your work?

I agree with Simen Johan. In my photographs both children and animals represent innocence and an authentic way of connecting with the world. Both are pure and fresh, as well as vulnerable to being harmed by carelessness.

What advice would you give to MFA or BFA students who are working in photography particularly those who are interested in photomontage?

Listen to your passions and what is meaningful to you. Begin to record these passions in some way whether it is through art, writing, or music. Use your camera to capture images that reflect what is of value to you. If your photography has meaning to you, then you will convey a deeper emotion that will grab the heartstrings of your viewer. At that point you have made an important connection.

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