Artist Statement
I create paintings that blend memory, metaphor, and the absurd to explore the narratives we carry and construct. Using acrylic, gouache, watercolor, and ink, I build symbolic landscapes inhabited by animals, masked figures, and theatrical props—each representing fragments of my personal mythology. Influenced by a background in theatrical set design and a fascination with absurdist literature, my compositions often take on a surreal, dreamlike quality, reflecting on how we perform identity, mask vulnerability, and search for connection in a fractured world. Recurring figures like chimpanzees and birds serve as emblematic guides through these open-ended scenes, which invite viewers into the ambiguity of meaning-making. Text appears subtly, drawn from fragmented conversations or literary echoes, not as directives but as interpretive cues—lines from a half-remembered play. Through this visual storytelling, I aim to create work that is both playful and poignant, inhabiting the space where logic breaks down and imagination takes hold.
About Josh
Described as elusive and happily odd, Joshua's work echoes the philosophy of absurdist playwrights and deconstructed sets. Receiving his Master of Fine Arts from Louisiana Tech University in 2009 and his Bachelors of Art from Northeastern State University in Oklahoma, Joshua's work has been published in New American Paintings, Creative Quarterly, and Studio Visit Magazine. Chambers' work can currently be found in Graphite Galleries in New Orleans, Ann Connelly Fine Art in Baton Rouge, and The Agora Borealis in Shreveport Louisiana. His works are in the permanent collections of the Masur Museum of Art in Louisiana, the Lessedra Gallery in Bulgaria, and numerous private collections. Chambers lives in Bossier Parish with his wife and daughter.
