Saint Louis Artist – Chad M. Lawson

pink

black-white-and-gold

 

GET FAMILIAR

Chad M. Lawson is a true creative soul living and working in downtown St. Louis! Chad is best known for his beautiful abstracts done on salvaged wood doors and his mixing of oils and acrylics to create unique textures and movement. Painting on a hard wood surface can pose quite a challenge but he has mastered the skills to do so. Each piece of art is striking, layered, and begs the viewer to take a closer look!

yellow

black-and-white

 

BE INSPIRED

Chad finds inspiration in literature and music. Part of his process is to work on a few pieces at a time while listening to a specific musical artist or genre. The type of music influences the intensity of each stroke. One day he might add strong graffiti-like elements while listening to hip-hop and the next day add precise, delicate lines while listening to his favorite cellist.

sankofabird

The sankofa symbol is another important element of his work. Based on a mythical bird with its feet firmly planted forward and its head turned backwards, sankofa signifies the wisdom in learning from the past to ensure a strong future. You can see elements of this symbol in several of his works (see below)!

 

SHOW ME MORE

Want to see more?! Chad currently has pieces on display at the Cortex as well as Whitebox Eatery! Be sure to visit his website to see more of his amazing creations.

collage

Chad is currently working on a collection investigating the journey and challenges within the adoption and adoptee narrative.  The collection features the adding and subtracting of layers, movement, and color in the search for identity, be it past or present. This work will be revealed at his February 2017 show.

Chad is also writing a book on growth for both ones art and building lasting relationships with clients. He draws on his over twenty years of curating his own work and others, with what would these days be called “pop-up” shows. Chad started doing this in the mid 1990’s in Miami, then St. Louis, and San Francisco. The book will also contain advice and questions for both new and established artists to help them better structure their time, finances, and resources. Be on the lookout for it early next year!

studio

Photos from my studio visit with Chad!

Viewings by appointment only.

chadmlawson@gmail.com | www.chadmlawson.com | @chadmlawson

Saint Louis Artist – Ted Collier, Ted Collier Fine Art

ted collier

GET FAMILIAR

If you don’t know who Ted Collier is, you really should.  Best known for his abstract acrylic paintings on canvas and signature circles he refuses to be defined by one style or medium.  An avid outdoorsman and fisherman, he is inspired by the patterns he observes in nature as well as the space his art will occupy.  Ted is an artist in every sense of the word. His passion and intensity are infectious and he happens to be a super cool guy!

ARTIST EVOLUTION

A lot has changed for Ted Collier in the past 5 years. The story goes something like this- boy meets girl, girl encourages boy to pursue his life long passion, boy listens to girl (good boy) and leaves his career in commercial real estate, boy and girl get married, open a restaurant (Katie’s Pizza & Pasta in Rock Hill), and boy achieves international success.

GRATITUDE, DRIVE AND FOCUS

Ted Collier is proof that with enough hard work and determination your dreams can be achieved. His new 2,500 square foot studio/gallery space in Creve Coeur is a far cry from the corner in the auto repair shop he was painting in just a few years ago. Today his art is featured in countless private collections in Saint Louis, Switzerland and Australia to name a few. Ted is also experiencing commercial success. Most recently he was commissioned by Nordstrom to create 18 pieces for their Los Angeles Flagship Store and Vancouver, BC stores. He is truly humbled by all the support and encouragement he receives. Lucky for us that only fuels his artistic fire. The sky is the limit for this Saint Louis artist and I personally can not wait to see what his future holds. #stlproud

Ted Collier Fine Art is located in Creve Coeur, Missouri. Viewing is by appointment only. Prepare to be inspired!

Ted Collier Fine Art | Saint Louis, MO 63132 | 314.803.7727

www.tedcollierart.com

UNINTENTIONAL ART

I recently visited Ted’s studio and while we were viewing and discussing the available pieces I couldn’t help but notice the paint splatter on his black boots. I joked with him that the splatter on his boots even looks like a piece of art. When I told him I was going to mention them in the blog he sent me a photo. Guess what? Even the photo he sent me of the paint splattered black boots looks like a piece of art!!!

collage 1

Ted Collier in action | aforementioned boots