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Tom R. Chambers was a teacher in Technology Applications, College Prep Academy, Raul Yzaguirre School for Success, Houston, Texas, U.S.A., 2007-2013. He also taught and advised after school programming in Digital Photography, Digital/New Media Art and Broadcasting. Many of Chambers' lesson plans were accepted as a part of lesson plan libraries online at Digital Wish, ePals and Adobe Education Exchange. He received an "Exemplary Teacher" award from ePals. He was also nominated for The Library of Congress "Literacy Award/The David M. Rubenstein Prize", 2013.
He is also a documentary photographer/visual artist, and he is currently working with the pixel as Minimal Art (Pixelscapes). He has over eighty exhibitions, off- and on-line, to his credit. His "My Dear Malevich" project has received international acclaim.
Chambers was Visiting Lecturer in Digital/New Media Art for the Fine Arts Department at Zhaoqing University, Zhaoqing, China, 2005 - 2007. He joined the Department to develop and teach a Digital/New Media Art Program.
He was invited by the National Institute of Design [NID] in Ahmedabad, India to conduct a three-week, New Media Art workshop for its New Media Design graduate students. The workshop culminated in the exhibition, NMA@NID.
Chambers was Executive Committee Member and Juror (2003 - 2005) for the International Digital Art Awards (IDAA). He was instrumental in expanding the content of the IDAA to include New Media Art, and served as on-line New Media Director (2004 - 2005). He was also instrumental in helping to bring the 2005 IDAA Exhibition to Beijing, China under the auspices of the Beijing Film Academy.
He was invited by the Fine Arts Department, New Media Art, Beijing Film Academy, Beijing, China, April 8, 2005 to give a retrospective lecture, Dyer Street Portraiture to Pixelscapes.
Chambers is on the Faculty for Photo-Seminars.com. His documentary portraiture lesson is featured at this site, Profotos.com and others.
He organized and curated two hyperlinked photo exhibitions for the PhotoForum membership under the auspices of the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), New York, U.S.A.
Chambers completed a three-year tour (1993-1995) as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer in Harare, Zimbabwe, Africa as Art Conservator/Curator for the National Gallery of Zimbabwe and as the Initiator/Instructor of The McEwen Photographic Studio for the National Gallery Art School.
He was invited by the National Gallery of Zimbabwe to exhibit Variations On The Dan Mask (December 1995; officially opened by the U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe)
Chambers received a U.S. Government Grant via the United States Information Service (USIS), Harare to exhibit Southwest Of Rusape: The Mucharambeyi Connection at the USIS Gallery (June-July 1995; officially opened by the U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe; and accepted as a part of the USIS Archives Permanent Collection).
His mixed media/interactive work, Mother's 45s was selected through national search for exhibition as a part of the Parents show at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A. (1992).
American Photo magazine listed one of his documentary projects, Dyer Street Portraiture in its March, 1986 issue.
His documentary project, Descendants 350 was shown throughout Rhode Island, and accepted by the Secretary of State (Rhode Island) as a part of the Rhode Island State Archives Permanent Collection (1990) (received a Governor's [Rhode Island] Proclamation).
Chambers founded and directed a not-for-profit, photographic arts organization and gallery, Viewpoint, Lubbock, Texas, U.S.A. (American Photo magazine reviewed one of the exhibitions at the gallery in its April, 1983 issue) (1982-1983).
He also founded and directed a not-for-profit, photographic arts organization, Photoreach, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.A. (1990).
Chambers was listed (1984-1991) in the Artists-In-Education roster with the Rhode Island State Council for the Arts (RISCA) (U.S.A.), and served as an Advisory Panelist for RISCA to determine funding for residency programs.
He also served as an Advisory Panelist for the State of Connecticut Commission on the Arts (U.S.A.) to determine funding for residency programs.
Chambers provided documentation of the homeless and poor [Rhode Island Food Bank (1986)], the elderly [Brown University and the Andrus Foundation/American Association for Retired Persons (1987)], and city life and politics [Executive Office of the Mayor, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.A.].
He also provided documentation for the Rhode Island Delegation at the Democratic National Convention, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. (1988), which culminated in the exhibition, Hot City.
Chambers conducted Polaroid workshops for at-risk, inner-city youth in Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.A. for Metro Arts, and served as an Advisory Panelist for the organization (1986-1990).
He produced and directed visual arts/performance arts presentations, VP90 (Release) and CYSX2 as a part of First Night Providence, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.A. (1989-1991). |
Listings (Personal)   
This project pays tribute to the Native Americans. The words seen as a part of the art reflect Chambers' emotional states or reactions to the mistreatment and near
annihilation of the indigenous population by his Anglo Saxon Ancestors. He hopes to begin to find closure for his haunted existence with this attempt as a political
statement through the Arts [Allow loading.].
Black and white photographs in wide-screen format. Chambers uses this format reminiscent of the CinemaScope movies that impressed him when he was a child and
cognizant of the popularity of wide-screen television in today's homes. The bit of distortion seen in most of the images creates a sense of drama with a focus on
darks and lights to set a certain mood [Allow loading.].
These Pixelscapes ... as a homage ... were found within a photo of Kasimir Malevich via magnification, filter treatment [halftone] and isolation of the pixel(s) in
Photoshop. Malevich founded the art movement, Suprematism in Moscow, 1913 as a parallel to Constructivism. This project has been exhibited in China, Russia and the
USA [Allow loading.].
The maturation process of his mother is seen; the man who came into her life and eventually became her husband and his father is seen; the maturation process of her
only child (him) is seen; the change in hair and fashion styles is seen; the change in automobile models is seen; and various locales throughout the United States are
seen. This project is the high point of his visual arts career [Allow loading.].
Chambers utilizes the self-portrait to project his life experiences. His portrait remains constant with the experience [situation] indicated as a change or flux in
the image. The accompanying text details his experience with the inclusion of numerous links to the Internet for additional information. The project is also a
reference tool [Allow loading.].
This series is a continuation of Pixelscapes, but compounded through noise/texture conversion. This compounded effect or the process of adding pixels on top of
pixels ... and at various sizes ... enhances the sublimity, and it also brings in other interpretations or connotations such as plurality, for example the coexistence
of several worlds [Allow loading.].
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Listings (Student) 
Chambers' opinion re: education reform:
"Based on my sensitization to middle school students, I feel there's a need to get our youth's attention today before we even begin to talk about education reform,
and a good way to do this is to make an appeal to digital entities [computer, media, entertainment, video gaming] to place statements of encouragement on their
products targeting students to do better with the curriculum, stay in school, and graduate.
The students where I'm currently teaching have actually accomplished a great deal with me via Technology Applications ... nature of the beast, I suppose ... but they
still tend to be lethargic in the core subject areas. This is due to two factors: the environmental stimuli via computer, media, entertainment, video gaming modes of
approach; and the lack of educators being able to acknowledge such, and make amends in the classroom, albeit the utilization of technology in the classroom is proving
to have some effect.
Since this environmental stimuli [these entities] have changed the mindset and pace of our youngsters, they should also nurture our youth to stay in school and get
an education. I feel that statements of encouragement on their products would have a great impact on our youth's psyche today to begin to think twice about their
education.
This could have an all-encompassing effect on getting our youth's attention. And I feel that this enhanced awareness ... along with technological support
in the classroom and tech teaching of teachers ... would begin to turn around the educational process in a more positive light."
MEE at TATN [Technology Applications Teacher Network] event/TCEA [Texas Computer Education Association] Conference, Austin, Texas, February 6-10, 2012.
Tweets re: Education/Technology
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