Lara Chamberlain

About the Artist

I have loved and practiced various forms of art ever since I was a child. I used some of this creative energy during my collegiate studies at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where I earned a Bachelor of Science in Graphic Communication (1991).

In 1995, I traveled to India, where I rediscovered my passion for sculpture. I enrolled in courses at a college in Calcutta, and began my training in ancient bronze casting. Upon returning to the US, I furthered my studies in figurative sculpture, working under a local instructor. It was here that I honed my technique of capturing the essence and energy of the human body in motion.

Study in India

Today I live with my family in Santa Cruz, California. I sculpt full-time along with running a school for Zen and martial arts.

About the Process

I have a fundamental artistic belief that sculpting is about expressing truth. Thus, it is important for my work to capture, incorporate, and convey what I perceive in every moment. However, I believe that the perception of the truth is both an external and internal process. My understanding of a piece and the subsequent representation of that piece are constantly in flux. In order for me to illustrate truth in a sculpture, I am driven not only to communicate my interpretation of that truth, but also the truth of the model, the moment, and the piece itself. I believe the essence of truth can only be found in the representation of all these layers, which are equally real and valid.

While my goal for truth is personal, I also hope it will engage the viewer in conversation with my work. My hope is that when one views my art, he or she will see not only the physical form, also the energy and truth that it embodies.

In the home studio