Paul Chase is a multidisciplinary artist whose work transcends the boundaries between music, sculpture, painting, and education. With a career spanning over three decades as an art educator and a lifetime as a practicing artist, Chase’s creative voice is deeply rooted in both personal experience and cultural symbolism. His acclaimed MusicVisions sculptures, carved from marble and infused with musical motifs like treble clefs and notes, invite viewers to see and feel sound in three-dimensional space.
Drawing inspiration from everything from Georgia O’Keeffe’s artistic legacy to the flowing energy of horses, vineyards, and the American West, Chase’s work is as textured and layered as the materials he chooses. Whether he’s staining marble with wine, reviving broken pieces with gold, or painting the essence of a moment, his artistic practice is both grounded and exploratory.
In this interview, we discuss the evolution of MusicVisions, the emotional impact of materials and form, and how teaching thousands of students has helped shape his creative philosophy. We also delve into his personal connection to O’Keeffe, the influence of environment and memory on his work, and how he continues to advocate for the arts in an increasingly digital world. Through it all, Chase reminds us of the enduring power of art to communicate, connect, and transform.
Interview by Carly Kutsup. Photos courtesy of Paul Chase. Click here to view more of his work.
Carly Kutsup: Let’s talk about MusicVisions and the connection between sound and sculpture. What inspired you to begin interpreting music through sculpture, and how has that creative journey evolved over time?
PC: I play guitar, and I had 150 paintings of guitars that I’ve shown in Nashville, so the music is there. Plus, my wife is a classical choir singer. So, it just started sort of evolving because I would look at the treble clef when I was reading music. It’s like, “Whoa, that could be sculpture, that could be three-dimensional.” I had been working with wood, and then it evolved into marble about five years ago, and I did a series of other kinds of things. Then I thought, “Hey, this would be great to just kind of go into some of the symbols”, the MusicVisions, symbols of music like the notes and various things like that. It’s been a different challenge because notes are thin, and they can break and crack.
CK: Is there a specific piece with the intersection of music and sculpture that even surprised you during its creation?
PC: I think the treble clef is because of the negative space. You know, you’ve got positive space when you work in big sculptures. I’ve carved some guitars, actual electric guitar bodies, out of marble, but they don’t have the negative space. Working with the negative space was something new. It was challenging and even a bit surprising
CK: When translating intangible musical elements like rhythm or melody into a physical form, what’s your process for deciding how those qualities actually take shape?
PC: There are all kinds of ways you see the notes. I’ve created a few of the simple notes, but the eighth note has the nice little flag on it. So that kind of is a design in itself. But I can, when I’m listening to music, actually see the notes kind of floating and flipping around, and doing things. So, it’s kind of that intense artist thing that you focus on for a long time; then you start seeing it even more differently. It’s evolved even in the two years I’ve been working on the music pieces; there’s been a bit more fine-tuning, and some of the rougher elements are fun to explore too, especially when the stone really stands out.
CK: Speaking of seeing and hearing, how do you envision your viewers hearing or feeling the music that’s actually embedded into your sculptures?
PC: On the physical side, some of the stone, when it’s cut, you can hit with a little pen, and it actually rings, because it’s like China. So, that’s the sound. But when people pick these up, it’s surprising. They say, “I feel like I can hear something.” Of course, the people who connect most with the sculptures tend to be musicians, composers, and others deeply rooted in music. It’s already embedded in them, as they naturally hear sound through visual forms.
CK: How do you decide which musical concepts, like notes, harmonies, or even a series of sounds, are most effective in communicating the message you want to convey?
PC: I let that evolve sometimes. Sometimes I’ll pick up a stone; it’s very rough, and you can see the color that comes out once it’s all carved. But other times, I look at it and think, “Oh, this will fit a small treble clef or a double note.” You kind of envision from the stone, and you want to do something different. You end up getting bored if you just make the same old thing all the time, so each version might be a little bit different.
CK: There’s a striking physicality to your music sculptures. Most of them are bold forms. I also see that the type of stone you choose to use is very heavy. What role does that sense of weight and permanence play in the interpretation of music in your sculptures?
PC: It’s a wonderful concept, because most of the time, music should be kind of light, although you have heavy metal. It’s kind of like, “How can this be so heavy, but yet so beautiful and light looking?”
CK: Have musicians or composers ever responded to your sculptures in ways that changed how you saw your own work? And if so, how did you incorporate those changes?
PC: Recently I had the conductor of the local symphony over to my house for a little mini show. He had an idea, because he had kind of designed his own treble clef, and he said, “Could you carve me my design?” And I did. He loved it, and it’s a little bit different. So I’ve incorporated some of his ideas into how mine work. I take suggestions, and it’s fun to make stone flow with curves, like the treble clef, unlike with straight pieces like notes. He wanted his to be kind of curved, so we kind of S-curved it. Then I’ve made a few like that based on his idea, not the exact same, because, you know, he wants his to be original.
CK: I noticed on your site that one of your pieces had broken, but then I saw another one where gold had been incorporated into the cracks. Was that inspired by kintsugi, the Japanese art of putting broken pieces back together with gold?
PC: It was. And I really was unaware of that, or it might have been way in the back of my mind. I had worked a long time on this beautiful red marble sculpture, and I had just set it on the bench. It fell over and just cracked. I sent a picture to my son, the other artist. I said to him, “Oh my gosh, I worked forever on this. Now I’m just going to throw it away.” And he said, “No, kintsugi it.” So I looked it all up, and it’s like, “Wow, that could actually work.” I put it back together, and it really is gorgeous. People like the gold effect. Then the other black one that you saw also broke right on the bench. I’m using a chisel, and it just shattered, because it’s like fine China, that marble, that real hard stuff. It’s given me a little bit more freedom, because I know I can fix it normally.
CK: I really like that black piece; it really struck me. It’s truly stunning. The black with the gold feels bold and grounded, while the gold on its own has a lighter, more flowing quality.
PC: There were maybe only seven or eight cracks where it went through, and I just enhanced it by adding a few more cracks, just for the design purpose. Normally, you can’t sell a broken piece. I mean, you can, but you have to tell them it’s broken. Fixing a piece using kintsugi, you can tell the buyer this is a whole spiritual, emotional, Japanese story. It’s great. Good story.
CK: Speaking of mixed media and materials, I’ve seen that you use a lot of mixed media, whether it’s wood, stone, wire, paint, or actual instruments, which adds a rich textural layer to your work. What inspires your choice of materials for a given piece? And when you’re working with found objects, whether it be like, let’s say, a guitar that can’t really be refurbished, what’s the symbolic or emotional value that you assign to it?
PC: It’s a feel. It does give me some emotional strength when I’m able to use, get an idea, or I see a texture or something somewhere, and I say, “Oh, I could try that, I could incorporate that into one of my pieces.”
Sometimes they don’t work. Sometimes it’s like, “Oh, that’s bad.” So, it’s an experiment. That can be emotional, too, because you get kind of bummed when it’s like, “I had such high hopes for this.”
CK: Now, how does working with such a wide range of materials, from marble to other types of stone, metals, and acrylics, help you express different artistic ideas or emotions? Do certain materials feel more right for certain themes? How do you know when to stop actually layering?
PC: I’ve done a lot of layering. I like being able to work on a painting, which is two-dimensional, and then switch over to my three-dimensional area. I move back and forth between the two. Sometimes I’ve even painted versions of my sculptures, kind of a realist-abstract style. It becomes a crossover, where the creative energy and sense of texture flow between both forms. And then there’s the challenge: how do you make something look like it has texture when it actually doesn’t? That’s the kind of artistic problem I enjoy. I was an art teacher for 30 years, so I know all that stuff.
CK: Your pieces often blur the lines between sculpture and painting. How do you see yourself navigating that hybrid space in art?
PC: I don’t think that far ahead, really. It’s more that I figure out what I want to do, start working on it, and sometimes it naturally evolves into something bigger, like a show. I’ve got one coming up, so I’m also focused on marketing, my website, and all that. Sometimes it all just turns into a happy accident.
CK: Have there ever been times when gallery curators or collectors have struggled to categorize your work?
PC: I think so. When you create pieces like the MusicVisions, which are beautiful sculptures, and others that are more abstract, they’re all still related to music in some way. That can definitely be a challenge. I’ve been rejected or turned away because the work is too music related. But I usually find another space that’s more open to that kind of expression.
CK: The tactile quality of your pieces seems to invite a physical connection. What kind of sensory, emotional experiences are you hoping to invoke from your viewers through the texture and maybe the form?
PC: Right. Well, it’s amazing because I’ve had pieces in galleries where they ask if it’s okay to let people touch them. There’s something different about that experience. Like I said, when people touch the sculptures, their reaction is often, “Whoa.” It gives them a completely different feeling, a different vibe. So, whenever possible, it’s great to have a space where people can touch the work, feel it, and really experience the difference. And they’re heavy too; people can actually lift them and feel the weight.
CK: Has there ever been a comment, or what comment has been most striking to you regarding your pieces?
PC: I think the one woman, who also works for the symphony and is very into classical music. She was completely speechless and in awe. You always hope for moments like that. I haven’t heard anything too out of the ordinary, but people are often surprised that I’ve taken flat notes and the treble clef, symbols musicians have looked at for centuries, and turned them into something three-dimensional. Like my little quote, “Finally, we know what the back of a treble clef looks like.” I’m sure musicians aren’t sitting around thinking, gee, I wonder what the back of that note really looks like. But it’s fun to throw that out there.
CK: Has there ever been one specific piece that has had a really emotional tie to you? And if so, which one?
PC: I think it might be the one that broke, the first one, the reddish piece. It was actually the thinnest piece I had done, and there were just a lot of extra details I really loved. I was really attached to it, and then it broke. So, I’d say that one stands out in the MusicVisions line. I mean, there are other pieces in my paintings that are different, but for this gathering, that one feels the most significant.
CK: Shifting gears a bit, let’s talk about your connection to Georgia O’Keeffe. As someone who is distantly related to her, how has her legacy influenced your perspective as an artist?
PC: Oh yeah, quite a bit. Just from looking at the things she’s done. I had a show in our hometown, where we both grew up. Looking at her artwork and trying to incorporate some of her ideas into mine has been a way to keep things interesting. It’s kind of a double bonus; a good thing all around. I still look back at her work for inspiration. I did some sculptures, including a portrait of Stieglitz that was actually purchased by the marble quarry in Tennessee, where I get my marble. The owner happened to be a fan of Georgia O’Keeffe, so that was a fun connection.
CK: Were there any stories or personal connections that shaped how you portrayed her in your large-scale portraits?
PC: Well, there’s a funny story. When I was in high school, I used to visit my grandmother, who was Georgia O’Keeffe’s second cousin. We’d play pool in the basement, and on the wall was a Life magazine cover featuring one of O’Keeffe’s iconic pieces, Canyon with Crows. At the time, I was a teenager and didn’t think much of it. One day, I asked my grandfather, “Grandpa, why do you have that skull and rose picture? It’s kind of weird for your generation.” And he said, “Oh, that’s your mother’s cousin.” Later on, we actually tried to visit O’Keeffe at her home north of Santa Fe. She was there, but not doing well. Still, she sent me a note thanking me for the visit. I’ve kept the signed card ever since, which is pretty cool as a distant relative.
CK: Are there any specific pieces that she’s done—I mean, she’s got a vast collection—that really stand out to you and you kind of draw inspiration from, whether it’s in a physicality form or an emotional form?
PC: Well, she did a few sculptures. One of her signature pieces was a large circular form, Abstraction, which stood out to me, especially as I was starting to get more into sculpture myself. The same goes for her flower series; there’s a swirling motion in them that I really connect with and find inspiring. You can even see that kind of swirl in the treble clef. So, that influence is definitely there. Even some of the bones she painted have that same kind of flowing, dynamic energy.
CK: What elements of her artistic philosophy, whether it be her focus on detail or her use of isolation, resonate with your own creative process?
PC: I really admire her attention to detail, how she zooms in so closely and builds those intricate elements. Then, when you step back, you see this powerful combination of close-up precision and broader contrast. So yes, I think that focus on detail has definitely influenced me.
CK: When you were creating portraits of her, what aspect of her identity or artistic presence were you most interested in highlighting for your audience to see? Were you aiming to honor her legacy, reinterpret her image, or was it something on a more personal level?
PC: I think it was a bit of both. She actually looked a little like my grandmother, since they were second cousins. Some of the portraits of her, especially from when she was younger rather than older, felt personal, almost like painting someone familiar. So yes, that part of it was really enjoyable.
CK: Have you ever visited any of the places that inspired her paintings, sculptures, or even her bone series, like Ghost Ranch or other locations?
PC: Yes, we did visit Ghost Ranch. They take you on a small bus tour and stop at locations she actually painted, like this old tree; I don’t remember exactly what it was called. We stopped there, and it was a surreal moment to see it in real life. I’ve always loved that kind of tree imagery. In fact, here’s a sculpture that came from that inspiration.
CK: Oh, the Vortex.
PC: Yeah, that’s one I created. But this particular piece is actually just a piece of wood I found in the desert; it was beautiful all on its own. Trying to carve something like that would be a lot of fun. I could see it becoming a big, dramatic sculpture.
CK: How have the environments connected to Georgia O’Keeffe, like the places you’ve visited that inspired her work, influenced your own creative energy?
PC: Absolutely. Sometimes it feels like you pick up on the energy of a place. We visit these spots and think, wow, someone like her actually walked here and created here. Whether that feeling is real or not, I’m not sure, but it definitely seems possible. So it does have some influence.
CK: Now I’d like to dive into another area of your work, your use of themes and symbolism. Your VineYardGuitars series uniquely merges music and wire. What inspired that unexpected pairing, and what meaning do you see in their overlap?
PC: That unexpected pairing came from being in a bar or a vineyard, and there’s a guy playing guitar. You’ve got your glass of wine, you’re looking at the music, you’re hearing the music. And sometimes, when you hold the glass up, you can actually see the guitar through it. That’s just what happens when you’re into guitars, music, and painting. So, it just seemed like a fun thing to do. And a lot of things end up being created to fill a need in the market. I had a store that sold paintings of vineyards and guitars and stuff like that, so it kind of overlapped. I started making pieces for that store, people bought them, and then I’d create another one. So the market sort of helped shape it.
CK: How does the idea of aging or fermentation, like with wine, connect metaphorically to music or creativity?
PC: Yeah, it does. It’s interesting; technically speaking, paint changes over time, and even stones can shift in color as they age or ferment. Actually, I’ve got a funny one. I had a barrel full of red wine, and I took a white marble treble clef and dunked it in there for two weeks to stain it. Then I buffed it off and cleaned it up. People are always fascinated by that because, well, it’s wine. So yeah, fermenting.
CK: In both a metaphorical and physical way.
PC: Exactly.
CK: Your WesternVisions series explores themes from your time in Montana, including cowboys, music, and nature. What memories or landscapes from that period continue to influence your art today?
PC: I did the series of the stone horses. We actually just took a load of a dozen out to a store in Bozeman, Montana. And of course, it’s always great to get back out west. You can incorporate the music and the guitars, different kinds of music and different kinds of guitars, into the western setting, the mountains, and everything like that. I think I probably have some paintings of that somewhere, too.
CK: Are there any specific visual motifs from Montana that always kind of reappear in your work, whether it’s the sculpting or the painting?
PC: Well, the mountains always come to mind. I live in the Midwest now, and it’s all little white houses and farm country and everything. But every now and then, I’ll do a painting with mountains in the background, even if that’s not what you’d actually see here. I think I might have even painted a guitar with a mountain scene on it once.
CK: Now, speaking of the stone horses, your Music of the Stone Horses series incorporates equine imagery and musical themes. What do horses specifically represent to you? How do they harmonize with your musical storytelling?
PC: I look at the horse, first of all. There’s that Georgia O’Keeffe kind of design quality; horses have such a natural flow. Even when we do them realistically, their muscles create these beautiful lines and movement. When I was working on that series and spending a lot of time around actual live horses, I decided to try and create music based on the way a horse would run. I superimposed a horse in motion onto a music line and tried to figure out where the notes might land. It didn’t really work out all that well, but still, the pattern and beat are there.
CK: In one of your series, you described aiming to reveal a glimpse of who the person is. How do you go about capturing something as elusive as emotional truth in a portrait?
PC: That’s a tricky one. I wrestle with that a lot. I’ve done a lot of portraits, including my grandkids, musicians, and a whole series of friends who are musicians and all that. And many times, I get it. It’s like, you feel it, you know you’ve captured something. It looks like them, even though maybe it doesn’t really look like them. But it still feels right. But it is a wrestle. Sometimes you just start over and say, that is not what I want. So yeah, it’s tricky.
CK: Since it can be tricky, what helps you the most? Are there certain cues you rely on more than others—like facial expressions, symbolic elements, composition, or even aspects of their personality—to help convey their inner world?
PC: I think the ruggedness stands out, and that could come from their emotional state. It might be that this person reminds me of someone very soft and loving, so you lean into that. And then there’s someone else where it’s like, yeah, I’m just doing this because he wants me to, but it’s brutal. I always say, “Remember, this may not look like you.”
CK: Now, among all of your work, if you had to choose one form to stick with for the rest of your life, what would it be?
PC: Well, I think probably painting. Because, as you can see, working with stone is heavy, it’s a lot of work, and it gets pretty dusty. I don’t really see myself doing that forever. Painting, on the other hand, you can work on smaller pieces, and it’s much easier to handle. I enjoy two-dimensional work, I like working with color, and there’s a lot you can do with it.
CK: Let’s turn now to your experience in art and education. Having taught for over three decades at both the high school and college levels, how has your role as an educator shaped your personal art practices and creative decisions?
PC: I knew I had the talent and the ability. And you want to share that, kind of like what you’ve done when teaching your own classes and everything. It’s something you hope to see in other people, and you try to bring that out in them. So yes, it’s a double good thing when it comes to art.
CK: Can you recall a specific teaching moment throughout your entire career that led to a creative breakthrough in your own work?
PC: I had probably two or three thousand students over my career, maybe even more than that. And I think maybe 10 or 15 out of that whole group were just amazing. Truly amazing. And yes, they inspired me with the way they worked at such a young age. It really made me think, “Wow, I need to rethink the basics here.”
CK: How have you seen students’ relationships with art change over the years, especially in a world increasingly dominated by digital media, and now even so, AI?
PC: Well, I haven’t been in the teaching field for some time, except for working a bit with a couple of my granddaughters who are really good artists. They’re 19 and 20 now, and we get together. I also see high school art shows and things like that. It has changed, but I think the core techniques are still there, but of course, now you have computers, AI, and all that. So I guess you just have to work with what you have. I think, like we were saying, when you find a kid who has the vision, the ideas, and the passion, they are going to find a way to make it work. It is tough out there, though. I am kind of glad I am not teaching anymore.
CK: I teach at the college level, and right now one of the biggest challenges, especially in the arts, is navigating AI. It can be tough to determine whether students actually created their work, particularly in digital art, using tools like Illustrator from scratch, or if they simply generated it through a prompt.
PC: Yeah, they’ve got these massive AI machines now that can carve a marble sculpture. They can recreate something like Michelangelo’s David in a week; it just keeps carving away. It’s crazy.
CK: How do you feel about that?
PC: Well, not exactly happy about it, but there isn’t much I can do. I mean, I stick with marble sculpture. I’ve done some work with soapstone, but I really want it to feel like the classics. Marble sculpture is not exactly in high demand. For some people, sure, but it’s a small market. There’s just so much out there. I’ve carved those hands holding the guitar and sold them a few times. And one guy even said, “That’s a nice ceramic hand you bought.” They don’t realize I actually spent the time carving it by hand. You can make a plastic version in ten minutes, but that’s not what I’m doing.
CK: What do you see as the most valuable life skills that students gain going through visual art education? And how can these skills translate into non-artistic careers?
PC: Just being able to express yourself in a safe environment is so important. You don’t want someone looking at your work and saying that’s junk or that’s bad. Just go for it. It’s kind of like music. You have it flowing in and out of your system. I always like to have music playing while I’m in the studio. It helps loosen up your emotions and your creativity. It’s the same with art for kids. It opens up a whole different way of thinking. I guess it’s tapping into the left brain, right brain, or something like that.
CK: Speaking of creativity, do you think it’s something that can be taught, or is it something that’s more innate and revealed as time goes on?
PC: I just remember when I was teaching, I taught a little bit of elementary school, and it was amazing. These kids, you just show them what to do, and they do it. They don’t have that “You can’t do that” mindset built in yet. Creativity, like music, can definitely be taught. But then you have those kids who are just out of the box. They bring in their own experiences, the way their brain works, and it’s like they could teach you. You give them a few basic lessons, and they just take off. So there’s a plus and minus to it all
CK: When you were teaching, what were some of your favorite assignments or projects that consistently sparked the creativity in your students and made them take it a step further?
PC: Well, one funny project we did, about 25 years ago when video cameras were those big bulky ones, was a “shut up” video. We would videotape everyone saying “shut up,” because, let’s be honest, every student wants to say it to the teacher but never can, right? So I said, “Alright, everyone, we’re going to make a ‘shut up’ video.” That sparked so much creativity and laughter. After that, students felt freer to express themselves in other projects too. They realized it was okay to have fun and push boundaries a little. Of course, I wasn’t going to let someone tell me to shut up all the time, but for the sake of the video, they got one shot. We also did airbrush work, which was something a lot of kids didn’t get a chance to try. That opened up even more creative energy, I think.
CK: Do you have any specific stories about a student who truly surprised you, or moved you, and even challenged you to become a better teacher or artist?
PC: Only those five or six we just talked about. The ones who were doing amazing things, thinking in such creative ways, and really exploring how their minds worked. And they could talk about it too. So yes, inspiration came from them. I think I definitely pulled in some ideas and techniques from those students.
CK: Has a student ever taught you something you didn’t already know? If so, what was it and how did it impact you?
PC: Yes, even my granddaughter. These days, you can look online and find eight million different things, and it’s like, wow. She got really into heavy texture, where you just squirt the stuff right onto the canvas. I gave it a try, but I didn’t really like it. Still, I’ve definitely learned a few things. Nothing super specific comes to mind, but yes, I’ve picked up some ideas
CK: What would you say to policymakers who see art education as nonessential in today’s schools, and it’s the first thing that they cut?
PC: I could only speak to them from experience, sharing the many success stories of students in my classes, along with my own. That emotional and creative outlet, even if it’s just a little bit, is essential.
CK: How do you advocate even today for the importance of keeping art programs alive amid budget cuts and the push for more standardized testing?
PC: I think it just comes through some of the shows I do and the connections I still have with the school, like when people show up to see the work. I’ve done a few demonstrations and things like that. I don’t really jump on the bandwagon; I just try to lead through exposure, by keeping the artwork flowing and staying active in what I do
CK: If you had the chance to reimagine the American art education curriculum from the ground up, what changes would you make? Would you integrate visual art more closely with other subjects? Would you incorporate elements of history, music, or literature to create a more connected and well-rounded experience?
PC: I think overall it’s pretty well covered. Like you said, there’s some nice crossover with other subjects. But not every school district is the same. In some places, the programs are amazing, and in others, you’re left wondering where the program even is. So yeah, I’d say it’s a tough environment.
CK: Since you’ve worked with students across multiple levels, from elementary school to college. What unique rewards and challenges did you notice when working with younger versus older learners? And in your experience, which group do you feel is more open to transformation through art?
PC: I think the younger ones are more open. Although, when people get older, even past college and into their senior years, those who choose to take a class can absolutely learn and succeed. It just becomes a different process. At the college level, students in art classes are usually interested enough to try new things. But they also have the freedom to decide it is not for them and explore something else. It is important to leave that option open.
CK: Looking back on your entire teaching career, what moments stand out as the most rewarding? And what would you say were the biggest challenges you faced as an arts educator?
PC: Well, I think the most rewarding thing is running into a student 20 years later, or getting an email, and hearing that they’re actually working in the art field. They’ll say they were so impacted by my class that it changed the course of their life. Maybe they were planning to do something completely different, and the class gave them a new direction. That kind of feedback is really rewarding, knowing that something I did helped a student find success. And sometimes it is not even about art. They’ll say, “I am not an artist, but your class helped me get through something. The way you taught, how you interacted with us, it stuck with me.” So, I guess that is what it’s really all about.
CK: Thinking outside the box.
PC: Yeah, exactly.
CK: If there was one message that you want to portray to your viewers or to those who are pursuing a career in art, what would you want to leave them with?
PC: Kind of like we were just talking about. You have to try. If you feel that pull, like it is something you want to do, then make the time. Take a class. See where it goes. Maybe it will not be what you expected, but if something is there, you owe it to yourself to explore it. Put in the effort, talk to people, and see what happens
CK: As we start to wrap up, I wanted to touch on where your work has ended up. You have had pieces featured in music halls of fame and other notable places. Is there one that really stands out to you, something that made you think, “Wow, I cannot believe my work is there?”
PC: Well, I think it was the Country Music Hall of Fame. The funny story was my son and I were in Nashville, and we took a shuttle bus downtown. And the driver, who was sort of a friend of mine, nice young man, we were driving along and I said, “Hey, I’ve got some paintings in the Country Music Hall of Fame.”
And the driver says, “No you don’t.”
I said, “Yes I do.”
“No, Mr. Chase, you don’t.”
I said, “Yes I do.”
He said, “Not really.”
That was just kind of a thrill. It is like, how did you ever do that, right?
CK: How did that come about?
PC: Sometimes artists really have to beat the door down. I would go to places and show them pictures or ask if they might be interested in having some of my prints. And then you get lucky. The guy says, I love these things. You got any original paintings we can hang up in the bookstore or someplace? So it just evolved nicely from there. And then you try to go further, and it’s like, no, that is all you get.
CK: Are they still there?
PC: No, they are not there, but I have sold lots of paintings around Nashville to recording studios and TV stations for decorating their offices. There’s still a hotel that purchased twenty of my paintings for their lobby, along with several sculptures (Millennium Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville). Many of the original works are still part of their collection and are showcased throughout the entrance, lobby, and restaurant.
