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by Jason Nemsosky '07
Virginia Wesleyan College's Chaplain, Robert "Chappy" Chapman '79, will open a new photography exhibit on Monday, Feb. 19. The exhibit will open in the Hofheimer Library, with an opening reception, and will be on display until Tuesday, April 10.
"I present it as a gift to the community," Chapman said. "It's very oriented to Virginia Wesleyan College. I’ve tried to capture that."
Chapman's interest in photography began "as far back as I can remember." His dad had a camera, and he would use them to take pictures.
"I've always liked cameras," Chapman said. "I got serious about it in high school."
While in high school, Chapman took photographs for the yearbook, and he would develop and print them himself. He also studied photography in a two-year college before ultimately transferring to Virginia Wesleyan.
Upon arriving at Wesleyan, Chapman had a job with College Communications, which allowed him to continue his love for photography through work. He would take photographs for the covers of college brochures and publications.
Chapman's favorite pieces to shoot are portraits and anything that involves nature. His reason for choosing to pursue photography is simple.
"It's the opportunity to capture and record once-in-a-lifetime images," he said. "For me, capturing those images is like embracing sacramental moments. With photography, you record the image. So many dynamics are involved in capturing that one image that can never again be replicated."
At the exhibit, there will be photographs from two different series. One series is called "Lens on Lent." These are black and white studio portraits of students that were taken in Chapman's office.
"They were taken last year on three separate Fridays," he said. "They were three Fridays during Lent."
The reasoning for doing the "Lens on Lent" series was simple. "I wanted to record and celebrate friendships," Chapman said. "In all these portraits, there is not just one person. They are in pairs and in threes."
The other part of the exhibit is a series called "The Smith and Wesleyan Wild Flower Series" and features color photographs of wild flowers. The wild flowers are all ones that have grown in the ditches that surround Smith and Wesleyan Drive.
The idea for the exhibit arose from a lunch meeting with Professor of Art John Rudel. Rudel asked Chapman if he would display his works.
"I was honored that Rudel asked me," Chapman said.
Once the exhibit is over, Chapman will continue to pursue the art of photography. He is in the process of working with a writer on a collaboration of poems and photography – a project that has been in the works since last fall.
Chapman is also considering photographing faculty-staff relationships. The primary focus of the current exhibit was on students, and he wants to expand that to include faculty and staff.
"It's been a fabulous learning experience for me in bringing this together," he said. "I'm a person of faith. These photographs represent a component of my spirituality that is not spoken, but conveyed in photographs."
Chapman believes that using a camera and taking photographs are another way to express creativity.
"I think the benefits are that you can create an artistic and creative endeavor that is a rewarding process in itself," he said. "It's a very valuable means of expression in trying to convey something artistically. The lens is a medium for quite a bit of diversity."
The opening reception will be held on Monday, Feb. 19 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Admission to the exhibit is free and open to the public. For more information, call 757.455.3400.