A show of colorful paintings by York, PA artist Ophelia M. Chambliss is on view in Cheyney University’s Biddle Hall Gallery weekdays now through December 5, 2014. Chambliss, who paints a variety of subject matters, describes her signature painting style as realistic cubism. With oil paint as her primary medium, Chambliss uses a bright, colorful and energetic palette. Setting her work apart from those of other artists is her dualistic style, meaning there is more than one way to display and view each painting to get a different image or point of view.
Recently Chambliss’ work has been on a larger scale including public art and murals. This year, Chambliss designed a mural for a public park on South Duke Street in York, PA. That project is nearing completion with over 130 volunteers from Wells Fargo Bank helping in a “big paint-by-numbers” effort. They are painting colors inside the black and white outlines which Chambliss painted on the park playground wall. When it is completed, the mural will be filled with bright and colorful images of children playing just like those who will play in the colorful space created just for them. According to Cindy Leiphart, Development Director of York’s Crispus Attucks Association, the organization behind the playground project, “It's going to be bright and colorful."
As she prepares for the show at Cheyney University, Ms. Chambliss notes, “My growth as an artist can be seen in the evolution of my process, color palette and mediums.” At this point in her creative expression, Chambliss says if she were asked the question; “what’s on your mind?” she would have to admit that what is on her mind is too complex for words. “The thoughts could only be captured in conceptualized images,” she insists.
An artist’s reception is planned for Thursday, December 4 from 4:30 to 6:30 pm in the gallery, located on the second floor of Biddle Hall. It is open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 10:30 – 11:30 and afternoons from 12:30 to 4:00.
Recognized as the first institution of higher learning for African Americans, Cheyney University, a liberal arts university, hosts signature programs such as the Keystone Honors Academy, the Call Me Mister teaching program, the Aquaculture Research and Teaching Laboratory and the accredited Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management program. The University offers baccalaureate and graduate degree programs at two locations, Cheyney and Philadelphia, PA – Center City. For more information, please visit the website at
http://www.cheyney.edu
Posted By: Reginald Culpepper
Monday, November 17th 2014 at 5:48PM
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