Member Profile

Portia “Po” Chapman

Portia Po Chapman standing with her mural "Exploring the Senses" at the Base31 Sensory Garden.

About Portia “Po” Chapman

Portia Po Chapman is an emerging, contemporary artist, illustrator, mural painter, and drum maker. As a freelance commission artist, she is locally known for her three Base31 murals, “Warbler Watching” in the Aviators Garden, “Building a Bright Future” in the Lecture Hall, and “Exploring the Senses” in the Sensory Garden. She is an avid supporter of the South Shore Joint Initiative. For the “Night of the Monarch” Gala she painted, “Together in Moonlight.” Po, when not working on her artworks, is a school teacher in Picton. Having first taught art as an Occasional Teacher at PECI, she now teaches Adult and Continuing Education at Loyola. Since fall 2022, Po has taught various art workshops at Kingston’s Agnes Etherington Art Centre. During the fall of 2023, Po had a solo drum exhibition, “Drumming Sounds of Colour,” and her illustrations were published on the cover and interior of the book Ways of Being in the World. She holds a BFAH in Visual Art from Queen’s University and received the Queen’s Medal in Visual Art 2019 as the top program graduate. Also, she is an Ontario Certified Art Teacher and graduated with her B.Ed. with a Specialist in Artist in Community Education. Po’s illustrations have been both published on digital and in print platforms. Po first became known for her circular icons that she illustrated for Queen’s University’s Office of Indigenous Initiatives and later for the Bachelor of Education website. She received national recognition when her “Truth” image went viral during the first day of Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Po’s current style is inspired by nature and wild grapevine silhouettes cast by the noonday sun shining through them. Please feel welcome to contact Po for your commission projects.

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