DAVID CHOPS

In my youth, as a survivor of poverty, child abuse, drug addiction & homelessness, I found solace & community in underground social movements from Los Angeles to Portland. These environments empowered me through a DIY ethos & diverse expressions of creativity & imagination. Now, as a climate change migrant in Northeastern Ontario, I am continuing to develop my art practice in a professional, focused, intentional way which includes pedagogically-based & relational art projects. From a young age, I have integrated a daily art practice into my life, at the time, especially in drawing, illustration & painting. As an adult, this practice continued to evolve into media such as spray-paint, stenciling & sculpture. Based in Portland, Oregon (USA):  I did exhibitions, including city hall in 2006 & provided community-based workshops in those various techniques. Another community project developed, I co-founded the “Dropout Bicycle Club” from a live-work industrial arts warehouse. (2005-2019). We created an artist-run gallery to sell our artwork; provided further art workshops, community bike-rides, and events focused on mobile “bike-art" One of my sculptural bike creations was showcased at the Portland Art Museum in 2009. In 2015 I became lead art director for a social justice campaign "March for Democracy" I held banner, sign & t-shirt making workshops. I did collage, assemblage, & made zines. I built a 14 foot tall creative structure that I served coffee from at art/music festivals (2010) & at an event I created called "Possibility" (2017), & again in another form at Burning Man (2018). Created "Quadracycle Of Doom", a two-person, four-wheeled, 10' tall,  pedal powered work of art, that made appearances at Burning Man & the Ashland, Oregon Science Museum Makers Fair (2019). In the last few years I have been producing wood, metal and stone sculpture. In 2023 I created/hosted the community event "ART FARM" & included recent relational art works "Grief People" & "The Temple"
These days I am driven to create large immersive and interactive sculptural pieces, or at least work on projects that move me in that direction. I am fond of and experienced in working with metal, wood, fabric, found objects, cutting stencils and working with spray paint. I have begun experimenting with word sculpture and soon experimenting with projections and lighting effects as well as sound so I can incorporate all of those into my new works.
As my art career has progressed so has my technique in working with materials
allowing me to skillfully accomplish increasingly ambitious projects.
I draw inspiration from other artists works and my own story of a difficult but often
adventurous and empowering journey through life. Working as an artist has always been
healing and a source of strength for me as I hope to share those experiences with
others.
Now a full time resident on my rural North-East Ontario property, I works from my artist
studio and creative space, equipped with all the tools of my trade, unhindered by past
space restraints I now have the ability to produce large works with ease, setting the
scene for an exciting and productive next stage of my career.