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Meet Terry d. Chacon

Today we’d like to introduce you to Terry d. Chacon.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I didn’t realize until later in life how much of an impression that my mother and her sister made on me as a child. They both were so creative in their own way and introduced me to an array of art in clay and sculpture, and I had the opportunity to get my hands dirty. I owe them both a great deal of credit for who I am today.

More than 20 years ago I decided to give myself an opportunity to develop my past years in art even more by adding another medium. I took beginning oil classes locally and a few workshops and started painting my dogs and other subjects in my studio.

With the internet in hand, I studied many artist and teachers, and most everyone that I admired had studied with Henry Hensche. Susan Sarback (School of Color and Light) a student of Henry Hensche, was giving a workshop at Ken Auster studios in Laguna Beach and I signed up. I was stoked by this way of painting using beautiful colors to express myself in oil with a palette knife, painting from life. I continued to study with Susan for seven years. Adding this new way of seeing color and light on location I was able to add this to my brush paintings in the studio and start creating work which involved my beloved Afghan Hounds and commissions for others.

Please tell us about your art.
Sculpture (bronze and ceramic)

Oil Painting (studio and plein air)

I create daily in my studio either in sculpture or painting commission work. I go out once a week sometimes more to do some plein air paintings on location. It refreshes me to be outside with nature and be around people. Creating in a studio daily can become quite lonely, so I highly recommend going outside to create.

My inspiration in art has always been my Afghan Hounds. As a breeder for over 40 years of these beautiful creatures, you cannot help but draw inspiration from them. Sculpting in ceramic for years led me to the fabulous world of bronze. I sought out a foundry, and my first creation was in the works. Hooked by this fabulous medium I have created works from 1 inch to 6 feet and several in between. Two larger than life sculptures of the Afghan Hound which was a dream come true are now living in Norway.

Using my abilities to see light and color in nature I have brought that into the studio and created many Dog Show scenes. Santa Barbara Kennel Club commissioned me ten years ago to do a painting a year to use for their awards and catalog. This year is their 100th Anniversary, and a very special painting has been done using the first show site (the Hotel Potter/Belvedere) in 1919 and (the arena at Earl Warren Fairgrounds) 2019.

The dog show scenes have become very popular, and I enjoy painting the scenes from my travels and others throughout America. American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog in St. Louis offered me two featured exhibits in 2015 and again in 2017. The reception for the second exhibit was also the opening for the Afghan Hound Club of America National Specialty. Curator Stephen George told me my exhibits were the most attended exhibits the Museum had put together.

Plein Air painting and all its challenges has opened many new opportunities for me as an artist. Not only has it given me a new way to approach my paintings in the studio, but gives me an outlet to paint on location in many beautiful places around the world. Combining my travel to judge dog shows in the USA and other countries I have been able to take my paints and easel and bring home paintings as a reminder of where we have been, and they make great host gifts as well. I also have attended some favorite plein air festivals in the Southwest and have won many awards of which I am very proud. I paint weekly in plein air either locally, travel to the beach or to the mountains. I am lucky to live within an hours distance of both, and we have so many beautiful landscapes to capture.

For the past 12 years, a group of us have been painting in Catalina Island. We started after we visited one year and decided this would be a great place to be for a few days in the summer out of the heat of the Inland Empire. We have had two gallery exhibits of the pieces created on the island, I am in a local gallery, and I give a workshop there once a year. This year the workshop is June 24 – 27. More info on my website.

What do you think about the conditions for artists today? Has life become easier or harder for artists in recent years? What can cities like ours do to encourage and help art and artists thrive?
Put your money first and foremost on a good website. You will be able to share your website in many ways and always keep it up to date.

I have found that social media has a lot of opportunities for artists. You need to build relationships, keep your work up to date, share new work, updates and opportunities.

I am also part of a studio tour once a year (Studio Tour 6), the first weekend in Dec. This helps with keeping me out in the local market and building relationships with local people.

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
My work is available for viewing and purchase on my website www.terrydchacon.com.

The following galleries represent my work:

Heritage Bronze
14407 Main Street
Hesperia, Ca.

Catalina Art Gallery
303 Crescent Ave.
Avalon, Ca.

Village Frame and Art Gallery
1485 East Valley Rd.
Montecito, Ca.

I am a member of the Laguna Plein Air Painters, The American Impressionist Society, Santa Barbara Kennel Club, Afghan Hound Club of America, Afghan Hound Club of California, the AKC Museum of the Dog.

Contact Info:

Image Credit:
Alf Refsum

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

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