In this interview I sat down with Atlanta-based artists and friends, Chloe Alexander and Sachi Rome, who recently participated in a Stay Home Gallery residency together with their children and are current studio mates at the TCP Artist in Residence program in Atlanta, GA. Even though each has her own distinct art-making approach, they agree that showing up consistently and regularly in their art community has proven necessary for advancing their own art careers. By participating in local workshops, attending art openings (when possible before Covid), and supporting other artists in their practices they have created visibility for their own work as well as their colleagues.
Chloe Alexander is a printmaker whose most recent work focuses on creating visual narratives by layering various printmaking techniques to create one-of-a-kind, mixed media drawings. Chloe has exhibited work in various locations in Atlanta area and nationally, including the Kai Lin Art Gallery in Atlanta, the Amy H. Carberry Fine Arts Gallery in Springfield, MA, and PRIZM Art Fair in Miami, FL. We are so honored to have Chloe serve as a mentor for our Crit Group Crew program several times in a row.
Sachi Rome is a painter and mixed media artist exploring the idea of memory, portraiture, and the dignity of using and giving new life to discarded things. Her work is a reflection of her obsession with color and the human face and centers primarily on the black female giving her agency and empowering her with ecofeminism. Sachi’s work has been featured in New York at the Barrett Center, September Gray Gallery, Mason Fine Art, TILA Studios, Sinclair Gallery, Auburn Ave. Research Library and City of Ink, among others.
We start our discussion reflecting on what first sparked their interest in art. Chloe remembers her parents taking her to a lot of museums and other cultural events like opera and ballet, despite their isolated and conservative upbringing. She recalls cutting up magazines and newspapers to create images, as well as sewing fabrics out of boredom at home as the youngest of five children. Conversely, Sachi talks about her fondness for PBS as a child as her parents didn’t like her going outside the house very much, and waking up early to watch Bob Ross paint. They both agree that making creative images and sculptures with their hands at an early age started their interest in art.
As we talk more about their art-making as adults, they both remember coming to a crossroads – Chloe when she was working a job that made her unhappy and unfulfilled, and Sachi after her divorce. They both had to answer the questions, “What now? What can I change? What is possible for me?” Through persistent and regular involvement in the Atlanta art community, they both found a place of support, encouragement, and advancement of their own careers through networks, exhibitions, and residencies. Even though it took several years to be integrated into this tight-knit art scene in Atlanta, they wholeheartedly agree that the investment into the people has yielded enriching returns.
Final 5 Answers:
1) Biggest art crush:
Tylonn Sawyer – Chloe
Steve Prince – Sachi
2) Dream trip:
Iceland – Chloe
Morocco – Sachi
3) Book or film:
Peaky Blinders (show) – Chloe
Octavia Butler (author) – especially Patternmaster – Sachi
4) Fav meal:
Tacos – Chloe
Jerk chicken, plantains – Sachi
5) Shout-out:
Dewey and Douglas, Misty Lackie, Neda at their residency – Chloe
Neda, “Art Church” people – Sachi
See more of Chloe’’s work on her website – https://www.thehaplessprintmaker.com
Find her on Instagram – @thehaplessprintmaker
See more of Sachi’s work on her website – https://www.sachistudioart.com/about-sachi-romes-artwork
Find her on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/sachistudioart/
The Artist/Mother podcast is created and hosted by Kaylan Buteyn. You can see more of Kaylan’s work on her website or connect with her on Instagram @kaylanbuteyn
Images of Chloe’s work and practice:
Images of Sachi’s work and practice:
