Meet Aleah Chapin

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Aleah Chapin a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Aleah , thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.

I think I was born with optimism, but I also believe we are all born with it. The very act of birth gives us that. We are squeezed through something intense, dark, scary, and then comes the light. That first breath shows us what is on the other side of difficulty. I kept that optimism because of the viewpoints of my parents and the community around me who have always seen the good and the light, even in challenging times. My optimism today is based on a choice and a trust in myself and those around me to do what it takes to make the world a better place, knowing some things will take time. I have learned that optimism only works when we back it up with action.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am a painter living and working in Los Angeles, CA. The spaces between people are the scaffolding of my current work. I’m interested in the ways we disconnect, reconnect, isolate and integrate within our own selves and relationships. My work is medium to large scale, oil on canvas. I utilize a combination of traditional painting techniques to create recognizable forms of the human figure, as well as automatic, intuitive abstraction. Together, these languages map the color, form and texture of
my experience of being alive and sharing this world with other people.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Number one is dedication. Painting takes time and hard work. It is fun, but it is also incredibly challenging, as is an art career. Being fully dedicated to this as my life path ever since I can remember, has propelled me forward even when I want to quit.

Number two is empathy. I think that painting the human body takes empathy. Without it, I would only see the body as an object, instead of the external expression of an individual who feels all the joys and heartbreak that are innate to this human experience.

Number three is optimism, the belief that things will work out in the end. So much of being an artist is failure.; in the studio and out in the world. If I gave up every time I got a rejection or had a hard painting day, I would have quit years ago.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

My number one challenge right now is keeping sight of all the good in the world, despite the hate that is all around us. What helps me is digging deeper into what I can do; connect with people, share knowledge, express love, and create paintings that can help us see feel less alone and see what is possible.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.aleahchapin.com
• Instagram: aleah_chapin

Image Credits

The artist and Flowers Gallery, London/Hong Kong/New York