Lani Chaves has always found the humor and liveliness in everyday life. “I recall once making poster-sized copies of political cartoons to present as a history project to my classmates. Explaining why they were funny was the lesson. And as a comedienne in comedy clubs around the country after college, I was that sweet faced girl who could get away by saying just about anything about life and current events.” After working in a print shop and teaching art at West Lee Middle in Sanford, Lani has turned all her talents towards an innovative style with her watercolors. Lani’s art captures her sense of what is joyful, humorous, and beautiful in everyday life.
“In 2013 I decided it was painting that brought me the most joy,” she professes. Not a far stretch for a woman who earned a fine arts degree from Richmond’s Virginia Commonwealth University. She now works in her uniquely redesigned home and studio in Chatham’s Fearrington Village.
“I explore a broad range of artistic subjects – people and places both real and imagined.” Chaves asserts.
In addition to paintings of real people, still life, and images from her world travels, Lani paints people set in imagined landscapes. This newest process employs photographs, her own and those from other sources, creatively composed to create original subject matter for these watercolors. All her paintings have a spiritual yet whimsical feel with a unique light-filled palette. She welcomes commission work as well.
Lani Chaves shows her work by appointment in her studio gallery, in local venues around the triangle, on LaniChaves.com and on her Facebook page. She is excited to join the 52 other artists on the 2018 Chatham Artists Studio Tour during the first two weekends in December.
Chaves also serves as Co-President, along with Beth Bale, of the Chatham Artists Guild. This is the organization that presents the Tour. “I am so honored to play a care taking role in the Guild,” she states. Lani is excited to see the membership embrace “ideas around inclusion, community and cooperation” in Chatham’s vigorous arts scene.
In addition to the tour preview show “Uniquely Chatham” at the Carrboro Arts Center, this year the tour event is expanded to include an opening reception and pop-up-art-shop at the NC Arts Incubator in Siler City and a Tour Information Hub and Exhibit at Chatham Arts Council headquarters in downtown Pittsboro. “Chatham County is a rich source of creativity. I heard Chatham artist Natalie Worthington suggest once ‘There’s something in the water.’ And I think she is right!” says Lani.
Lani sells framed and unframed watercolors as well as prints of her works with prices ranging from $40 to several hundred dollars
Visitors to Lani Chaves’ Fearrington Village studio, # 10 on the map, will surely experience the joy and humor of this artist in her unique paintings.
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