Charles (Chip) Reay’s studio is an intensely personal space, a space removed from the routines of everyday life, where he can indulge his imagination. It is a space, where free association, experimentation, trials and errors, encourages the outpouring of his creative mind.
In his studio, there are no rules or standards of taste or beauty. It is a space for pure expression. Viewers can walk into Chip’s world and stand amongst the exuberant variety of objects and ideas that fuel his practice: collections, collages, toys, sketches, clippings, an auto violin, a boy’s letter to Santa Claus proclaiming his goodness, a faceoff between Mickey and a real mouse, mannequins, maquettes, photographs, gatherings of memory infused eye candy. The mysterious arrangements and surprising juxtapositions installed in the two gallery spaces encourage the unconscious mind to kick in and transport viewers to exciting new realms of the imagination. This first-hand glimpse into Chip’s creative mind is a unique opportunity to learn about wellsprings and the artistic process.
Auto violin
2011
Mixed Media
26 x 10 in (66.0 x 25.4 cm)
Persistance of Memory
2011
Mixed Media
22 x 11 x 11 in (55.9 x 27.9 cm)
Frederigo da Montefeltro
2011
Aluminum foam
67 x 47 in (170.2 x 119.4 cm)
WD50: Selections from a Tasting Menu
2019
Gouache on foam and sintra
76.2 cm diameter