Artist Talk and Demonstration With Chié Shimizu at The Church

Join The Church for an artist talk and process demonstration with Chié Shimizu on Wednesday, May 14 at 4 p.m. Primarily a sculptor, Shimizu examines the human condition through representations of figure and form, creating lifelike sculptures that portray individuals frozen in various states of movement and emotion. Each figure is meticulously sculpted in clay, then cast with plaster, painted by hand, and adorned with textures, designs and objects reflective of a life story.

Shimizu is an artist-in-residence at The Church from May 8 to 28, and in her presentation, Shimizu will discuss the evolution and development of her practice, from early inspirations to recent and ongoing works. Following a slideshow, Shimizu will illuminate her process, sharing exclusive insight into the sculpting, molding, casting, and hand painting behind each piece. The event will conclude with a Q&A.

Born in Japan, Chié Shimizu works predominantly in the medium of sculpture with Japanese-style painting, but counts metal crafts and oil paintings among her earlier works. Shimizu earned her BFA from Tokyo University of the Arts in 1993 with a major in metal crafts, and received an honorable Salon De Printemps Prize at graduation. She had several shows of both metalworks and oil paintings in Tokyo and Kanagawa, Japan, before moving to New York in 1996. She earned her master’s in sculpture from the New York Academy of Art in 2001 and received a residency grant from the HRH Prince of Wales and Forbes Foundation at the Château de Balleroy in Normandy, France. Her work has been exhibited in numerous venues throughout the U.S., and she held her first solo show in the U.S. at NowHere gallery in New York in 2022. Shimizu’s work has also been included in private collections worldwide. She currently lives and works in Queens.

Admission to the talk is free with RSVP at thechurchsagharbor.org. The Church is at 48 Madison Street in Sag Harbor.