Journey To Mars Painting

BIO Sunny Chapman retired from performing as a singer, & dancer, designing jewelry for stores like Barneys and Saks, activism and making documentaries to make art, a little jewelry and occasional poetry in Brooklyn and the Catskills. She was a street artist whose character Flower Face was published in the book Brooklyn Street Art. She resides in Williamsburgh, Brooklyn, and The Catskills. Chapman's studio art has been widely shown in galleries largely in the Northeast, was recently featured in the Curina Co. booth at the New Art Dealers Alliance Fair. Her art and poetry are published in books as well, her documentaries about Crisis Pregnancy Centers are distributed by The Cinema Guild and she is also the curator of the Birdhouse, an art salon in Williamsburg. Artist Statement My artwork is deeply influenced by mystical practices like Sufism and Alchemy. The themes that emerge from these practices include doorways as portals to other universes, mysterious languages, and circles that symbolize the whirling of the dervish and the universe. Birds hold a special significance as they represent the link between heaven and earth, bridging the past and the present. 
 Throughout my life, I've been obsessed with shape and color, and this passion is particularly evident in my current body of work, titled Shapeshifters. These works are crafted from plywood, typically cut into biomorphic shapes and then collaged and painted in bright colors. The painting style is influenced by the 1970s pattern and decoration movement, and often incorporates repeated motifs.  
 Additionally, I'm working on a series of larger shaped wood pieces in shades of black. My connection to the natural world is strong, and I often find myself walking in the woods or near water. During these journeys, I collect stones, bits of wood, shells, bones, and natural fragments, which I incorporate into my larger black pieces. Drawings emerge from these walks as well.