About Gallery 75

by Lois Swoboda, Times Staff Reporter
Reprinted for The Times, November 1, 2007

(Note: Since this article first appeared, the gallery has moved to 317 Water Street) Apalachicola is hone to a number of talented artists working in a variety of media. One of the more prolific and original is also among the most retiring. Mr. Charles Chapin has found a new home for his bright, cohesive abstracts.

[317 Water Street] is the location of Chapin’s newest gallery, which he said is his third in Apalachicola. The first was The Old Post Office building on Commerce Street, now home to the Stuffed Owl. The second was on Water Street.

“Dennis got that building,“ said Chapin. “We got the artwork out but the building wasn’t worth saving.”

Last month, Chapin opened in his new location with the help of manager, Gwen Huckeba. The house is one of a number of historic structures that Chapin has renovated in Franklin County. He is also responsible for the recreation of the Owl Cafe on Ave D.

The new location displays paintings by Chapin and sculpture by his son, Samuel Chapin of California.

Chapin said, “I have been painting all of my adult life. I was working on a degree in English at Chapel Hill, North Carolina. A friend of mine was taking some art classes and I took a few and then I went back and worked on a Master’s in art. I didn’t finish because I didn’t want to write a thesis. I couldn’t do all that talking about pictures. That’s just so much BS most of the time.”

Chapin said he has been influenced by other artists like DeKooning, Franz Klein and Motherwell, “but I don’t paint like them.”

Local gallery owner Hollis Vail said, “Mr. Chapin’s work is abstract. He is a very good painter and is process oriented in his approach to painting.”

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