Originally from Dartmoor, after studying painting at St Martin's School of Art, London, Carl Chapple spent time in Greece, Turkey and Italy, where he drew a great deal and further developed his interest in Classical and Renaissance painting and sculpture. Returning to the UK in the mid-90s, he joined several South London life drawing groups, met a number of inspiring painters and models, and began working almost exclusively from the figure.
Since moving to South Wales in 2003 Carl Chapple has worked from life in his studio in Barry.
Primarily interested in painting people, Carl worked with life models for a number of years before developing a greater interest in portraiture in around 2010. This has since become a central element of his work, as he attempts to reflect the characters and moods of his sitters, as well as impart something of the stillness and silence that painting from life involves. Carl's series of portraits involve a wide range of stage performers - including actors, comedians, dancers, poets and musicians. Whilst continuing to work in portraiture, Carl is now also collaborating with professional dancers to explore the development of gesture, narrative and dynamic poses in figure paintings.
His work is held in private collections across the UK and internationally, and is represented in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art Cymru. In 2017 Carl was elected to the Royal Cambrian Academy.
Carl has had exhibition with us in 2017, 2018 , 2019 & in 2021. Carl will exhibit with us again in October 2023.