As David Chatt looks back at how he arrived at his current place in life, he sees a rather direct line, but admits to many years of feeling like he didn’t know where it was all headed. The fifth of six children born to teachers, his jewelry-maker father was the head of the art department at Skagit Valley College. He grew up in Sedro Wooley. He descrbes himself as an “oddball” growing up, more interested in playing with art supplies than sports. Citing his parents as most influential in his life, he says they taught their children to notice the world around them, and to find inspiration for design in everyday things.

His interest in beads perhaps began with his parents’ small collection of Native American beaded objects. He had always been fascinated with small detail work and saw beads as architectural units and figured out how they could be sewn together to form structures. He began thinking of beadwork as a structural medium. Using a form of the Right Angle Weave, he learned to create three-dimensional designs. Early in his career he thought of beads as a fashion medium and got a degree in fashion design from Western Washington University. Finding this too limiting, he began making bead covered vessels before he segued into narrative works.

Chatt likes the fact that people are initially drawn to his work by the colors and patterns and then appreciate it for the technique, humor or social message. He says, “…art is more about questions than answers and I don’t want people to see everything at once.”

When asked how long it takes him to complete a piece he said, “This would be perfect work for someone who is in prison.” The longest time he has spent on a piece is 1000 hours (Confrontation in the Green Room); most major sculptures take about 500 hours. He is at peace with the time-comsuming process and says that each piece is a meditation. It gives him time to contemplate the topic and let the piece evolve. What inspires David Chatt? “Life, discovery, gathering together materials, and making order out of chaos.”

For more information visit: seattleweekly.com/2005-02-01/arts/david-chatt.php and davidchatt.com/press/index.html