Chad Rice
Chad Rice is a northern Nevada artist and high school art educator. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Montana and a Master’s degree in Education. Although Chad’s primary medium is acrylic painting, his most celebrated pieces are large three-dimensional works. These pieces have been featured at multiple locations and events stretching from California to Florida to Canada. Chad describes his sculptural work as “painting across three dimensions”, with each piece implementing forced-perspective principles in harmony with hand-painted imagery.
Obverse
Obverse is a forced perspective installation exploring the relationship between the seen and unseen sides of individual people. The structure consists of five vertical columns, made of translucent plastic. Each of the five lighted pillars supports a small portion of a larger hand-painted image. The artwork encourages the viewers to move around the piece to locate the predetermined viewpoints. When the viewer arrives at the specified location, edges of the columns visually align to reveal a single image across all five planes. From one viewpoint, the imagery consists of a cautious, stressed out individual. The opposite viewpoint reveals imagery of a person in a confident emotive state, exploding with ideas and creativity.
Obverse Artist Statement and Philosophy
When placed in certain situations, each of us responds differently. Some environments bring out the confident and vibrant side of our personalities, while other situations make us feel self-conscious, guarded, and nervous. As we grow, we learn to navigate both scenarios. Although the scarier situations cannot always be avoided (nor should they), we learn to remain productive and positive within those situations. Simultaneously, we reserve our primary focus for the environments that feed our souls and allow us to truly thrive.
Obverse’s imagery represents both of those circumstances. One side of the piece depicts a stressed out, guarded man. From his position, the world is scary. Survival is the top priority. There is very little room for creative thought. On the opposite side, a stunning, vibrant woman emerges. She has found the environment that she thrives in. Ideas, dreams, and aspirations flow from her mind. She is calm and confident.
As the audience interacts with the piece, moving between the two opposing images, they are reminded that we all possess both sides within us. Even when things seem difficult or unclear, a space that can foster peace and confidence may be only a few steps away. A slight shift in perspective can change everything.
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