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Ad Code: 4
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Official Portrait of Governor James Edgar of Illinois
Artwork images are copyright of the artist or assignee
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This biography from the Archives of AskART:
| The following information was submitted in September of 2006 by John Cope:
William Thomas Chambers is a graduate of the American Academy of Art in Chicago and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northeastern Illinois University. He studied with Cedric Egeli, Daniel Green, David Leffel, John Howard Sanden, Richard Schmid, and Burt Silverman.
An award-winning illustrator, he is also the creator of many portraits of private persons, government officials as well as celebrities. Chambers has fulfilled official portrait commissions of four-term Illinois Governor James R. Thompson and of two-term Governor Jim Edgar. Both portraits hang in the State Capitol Rotunda in Springfield, Illinois. Among other notable dignitaries in his portfolio are former Northwestern University Presidents Robert Strotz and Arnold Weber; Martin Fienstein, the former director of the Washington Opera; Former Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird, as well as numerous CEO's and Fortune 500 corporate figures.
His popular celebrity portraits commissioned by the Bradford Exchange include scenes from the movie Annie and Sandy, My Fair Lady, Gone with the Wind, King and I, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. In addition are the commemorative plates in honor of Mothers Day, and a triptych painting in celebration of the Christmas Nativity entitled The Night the Angels Sang. More recently thirteen portraits of Princess Diana of Wales were also commissioned by the Bradford Exchange.
Memberships:
Portrait Society of America
Oil Painters of America (President, 2006)
Awards:
1999 Grand Prize Award - International Portrait Competition of the Portrait Society of America.
1999 Peoples Choice Award - International Portrait Competition of the Portrait
Society of America.
1998 Best of Show Award - Midwest Regional Oil Painters of America Exhibition
1997 Finalist, Portrait Category - Artist Magazine 1997 Arts Competition.
1997 National Oil Painters of America Exhibition. OPA juried.
1995 Best of Show - Oil Painters of America Regional juried Exhibition, Chicago.
1987 Hall of Fame Award - National Association of Trade and Technical Schools -honored as a graduate of the American Academy of Art in Chicago and inducted into the first NATTS. Hall of Fame Washington D.C.
1985 Award of Excellence-Plate of the Year, Bradford Exchange/Knowles China Company, titled "A Puzzlement" from the motion picture "King and I".
1983 Certificate of Merit - New York Society of Illustrators 25th Annual Exhibition.
1983 Plate of the Year - "Annie and Sandy" limited edition produced by the Bradford/Exchange and Knowles China Company. Based on the film "Annie".
1976 Award of Excellence - Society of Illustrators 18th Annual National Exhibition.
1976 Award of Excellence - "200 Years of American Illustration"published by Random House through the Society of Illustrators.
1975 Certificate of Excellence - Society of Illustrators 17th Annual National Exhibition.
1974 Award of Excellence - Illustration/Chicago.
1974 Award of Excellence - Illustration/Chicago.
1973 Certificate of Merit - Society of Illustrators Annual National Exhibition.
1972 Certificate of Merit - Society of Illustrators Annual National Exhibition.
1972 Certificate of Merit - Society of Illustrators Annual National Exhibition.
1971 Certificate of Merit - Society of Illustrators Annual National Exhibition.
1971 Certificate of Excellence Chicago 4 - Artist Guild of Chicago/Society of
Communicating Arts/Graphic Arts Council
1969 Certificate of Excellence Chicago 3 - Artist Guild of Chicago/Chicago Society of Communicating Arts/Society of Typographical Arts.
1968 Award of Excellence - 22nd Annual Artist Guild of Chicago Exhibition of
Editorial and Advertising Art.
Source: www.williamchambers.com
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This biography from the Archives of AskART:
| Born in Chicago, Illinois, and living in Arlington Heights, William Chambers studied at the American Academy of Art and Northeastern Illinois University. He has completed many commission works including ones for Northwestern University and the Washington DC opera company. He is known for street scenes, bright daylight colors and cheerful flower/pottery still life.
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The following is from Richard Scott who cites International Artist, Oct/Nov 2000:
"Bill Chambers grew up in Chicago and currently has his studio there. After receiving a University degree in art, he graduated from the American Academy of Art. He also studied with Cedric Egeli, Daniel Greene, Everett Raymond Kinstler, David Leffel, Richard Schmid, and John Howard Sanden.
This prize winning artist has painted the official portraits of the last two Governors of Illinois, the former Secretary of Defense, Melvin Laird, and many of the CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. Chambers painted fourteen portraits of Princess Diana for the Bradford Exchange. His son, Tim, is also a successful artist who has won many awards.
A portrait of Chambers' teenage son, Patrick, won Best of Show and the Peoples Choice award at the 1999 Art of the Portrait Conference of the Portrait Society of America in Washington DC. This portrait garnered many commissions for Bill.
One of his most challenging commissions was the portrait recently completed of Illinois Governor Jim Edgar. On the wall behind him he did a depiction of the Lincoln/Douglas debate. The Governor wanted a photograph of his wife to be shown on the mantle behind him. This involved another likeness and it also had to be subdued."
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| ** If you discover credit omissions or have additional information to add, please let us know at registrar@AskART.com. |
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