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6ALUMNI CORNERJAMES CHASE... continued from page 5while at the camp were well-received and this past fall theywere exhibited in a group print show at the Slocumb Galleriesat East Tennessee State University.Immediately upon returning home from WoodcutBootcamp, James honed his networking skills even further bycontacting Sean StarWars, another renowned printmaker whosework he admired. “I emailed Sean and mentioned I had justbeen to Tom Huck’s Woodcut Bootcamp and offered to helpSean at any upcoming events,” said James. StarWars took Jamesup on his offer to assist him at Prints Gone Wild, a printmakingfair at which he was exhibiting in New York City. James assistedStarWars with every aspect of the fair, including setting up thebooth and selling prints. His experience at Prints Gone Wild ledJames to even more opportunities and admired artists, and hecontinues to keep reaching out to those he looks up to. “I justkeep plugging away,” he says, “and networking myself into theprint community.” James will continue his relationship with bothHuck and StarWars when he attends the Southern GraphicsCouncil print conference’s Printmakers Ball this March in St.Louis. He will sit alongside both artists at his own booth wherehe will display his body of work.His goal for the future is to attend graduate school andmajor in printmaking, and he is currently applying to severalschools throughout the country. Beyond that, he expresses hisdesire to work both in academia and as an artist as long as he canmake a body of work and inspire others. While still in hishometown, however, he continues to contribute to the local artscommunity. He was recently elected to the Manchester ArtsCommission (MAC) by Mayor Ted Gatsas. As an artcommissioner, James' duties will include promoting, fosteringand building the local arts community. Since becoming acommissioner, Chase has been put in charge of web developmentand online content as well as the creation of MAC’s new logo.Chase has also assisted in press releases and graphic design forletterhead and business cards.James attributes much of his early professional success tohis years at the Institute, “The Institute gave me the ability to findmy way and push me and enabled me to have a well-roundedfoundation by offering a great exhibiting artist roster,” he says.He also credits his friends and fellow students for their help.“I’ve been inspired by so many of my fellow classmates andlooked up to them,” he says. In addition, James’ motivation andnetworking skills have also contributed to his growth, and headvises students to do the same. “Reaching out to professionalartists has been extremely beneficial to my own growth as anartist,” he says. That first-hand experience of working with otherartists has also been helpful in learning how to install aprofessional looking show.As James moves forward with his artistic endeavors, heexudes a simple self-confidence around his role as an artist thathas clearly come from his years of hard work and risk taking. “Myart making process comes from the basic need to tell a story orevoke emotion. It’s as basic and as complicated as that,” he says.To students who are discovering their own artistic voices, Jamesoffers this sage advice: “There is so much merging and slicing ofstyles of art, it’s easy to get caught up in all the conceptual andmultiple techniques. Be truthful to yourself and make lots ofmistakes. Your voice will come through with that.”An installation by James ChaseNEW HAMPSHIRE INSTITUTE OF ART