Wayne Chabre

Wayne Chabre
Born1947 (age 76–77)
NationalityAmerican
Alma materGonzaga University
Known forSculpture
Websitewaynechabre.com

Wayne Chabre (born 1947) is an American sculptor from Walla Walla, Washington.[1] His works have been described as "whimsical".[2] Many of his sculptures are functional, such as gargoyles and downspouts; railings and gates; lighting, pavilions, fountains, and benches.[1]

Early life and education

Chabre was born in 1947[3] and raised on a farm in Walla Walla County, Washington. He attended Gonzaga University in Spokane, then joined the Peace Corps, where he served as a graphic designer in the Agricultural Information Service in Lesotho, Africa. After his Peace Corps service he lived in Estacada, Oregon for three years, then moved to Portland, Oregon. In 1975 he returned to Walla Walla.[2]

Public art

Washington

Many of Chabre's works are commissioned by the Washington State Arts Commission under a construction set-aside program.[2] His works are displayed to the public in Kirkland, Washington; Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma;[4] at a fire station in Seattle,[5] Mercer Island;[6] Waitsburg;[7] Washington State University Vancouver;[8] and elsewhere.

Oregon

John von Neumann (right) and Alan Turing (left), attached to Willamette Hall on the University of Oregon campus

A number of his pieces are at the University of Oregon in Eugene, where he created a series of 12 gargoyles, including:[9]

The University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History also displays four gargoyles: Bear Gargoyle,[10] Salmon Gargoyle, Raven Gargoyle, and Wolf Gargoyle.[11]

The city of Cannon Beach purchased his piece A Delicate Balance.[11] Grasshopper is displayed in Salem, and a pair of animal sculptures is displayed at the public library in Bend (Otter Knot and Salmon Dance).[12] Chabre created the entrance gates to Oregon Zoo (formerly the Washington Park Zoo) in Portland.[12] He also created the bronze bas-relief entry panels to the Multnomah County Building in Portland. His "Grove" bench is at Western Oregon University, Monmouth.[citation needed]

California

The city of Stockton, California owns a Chabre sculpture, The Great Combine, commissioned in 2009.[13] Also in Stockton, the Joan Darrah Marina has 23 pieces created by Chabre: A large cast bronze and stainless steel bench, 12 water jet cut aluminum medallions on light poles lining the marina, and 10 cast bronze finials atop gateways to the boat slips.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ a b Wayne Chabre Profile, Codaworx
  2. ^ a b c Elana Congress (October 2, 2008), "Sculptor Chabre strives for whimsy, character", The Pioneer, Walla Walla: Whitman College
  3. ^ "Ratcliff Architects (architecture firm); Wayne Chabre (artist, born 1947)", Oregon Explorer—Natural Resources Digital Library (Database), University of Oregon Libraries
  4. ^ Pending Communication, CultureNOW, retrieved 2015-10-05
  5. ^ Seattle Fire Stations art tour: Rainier Valley Neighborhood Fire Station 28, City of Seattle Office of Arts and Culture, March 9, 2015, retrieved 2015-10-05
  6. ^ Longoria, Ruth (2008-11-24). "Community Center opens". Mercer Island Reporter. Retrieved 2015-10-06.
  7. ^ Allmand, Chloe (May 16, 2015). "Art puts bronze touch on celebration". Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. Retrieved 2015-10-06.
  8. ^ Tom Vogt (October 19, 1998), "Exposing students to art", The Columbian, archived from the original on February 25, 2016 – via HighBeam
  9. ^ "60 stories in 90 seconds", Oregon Quarterly, University of Oregon, 2015
  10. ^ Public Artwork Celebration at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History, University of Oregon, May 20, 2014
  11. ^ a b Public art: Wayne Chabre, "A Delicate Balance" (PDF), City of Cannon Beach
  12. ^ a b Chantal Strobel (May 16, 2001), The Bend Public Library Receives Two Bronze Sculptures from Art in Public Places and the Bend Foundation, Deschutes Public Library
  13. ^ "Public art brings whimsy to town", The Record, Stockton, California, August 6, 2011