In December 1984, Chapel was invited to lecture on his sculpture and casting techniques at universities in three cities in the People's Republic of China. At the time this was an unheard-of opportunity, as it was not possible to obtain a visa for China in the United States. Chapel had to travel to Hong Kong to apply for a visa there. He has subsequently participated in several multi-city museum tours sponsored by the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, one of which went to Beijing, China.
Most of Chapel’s sculpture combines realism and abstraction within the same piece, utilizing different metals, high polish, glass, stone, wood and dyed concrete. For instance, there might be a group of sandpipers running along a beach, with the birds and parts of the sand representational, while the ocean is represented with a stylized stainless steel shape (Spindrift). Or a life size bronze hawk flying close to the ground supported by its stainless steel shadow, which in turn is “illuminating” the grass it is passing over (Sombra). ‘Ghost at the River” depicts several running Bison on one side, and the ghosts of their hunters on the other side. This piece won the Medal of Excellence from The Society of Animal Artists and several awards from The National Sculpture Society.
“The Center,” a 17-foot sculpture installed in Little Rock, Arkansas Is an entirely non-objective piece made of stainless steel, stacked glass, cast glass, marble, and gold leaf. Chapel also has monumental sculptures installed in Denver, CO, Loveland, CO, Boulder, CO, Breckenridge, CO, South San Francisco, CA and several other cities across the US.
In 2013, Chapel and his wife Vanessa set sail in their sailboat from San Francisco for Mexico and perhaps West from there. However, after 2 years cruising the Pacific coast of Mexico and the Sea of Cortez, they took a vacation to the inland mountains. Falling in love with the city of Guanajuato, they purchased a home with gardens, a pool, and a new studio. After 2 years of refurbishing the property, they are permanent residents, and Chapel is returning to sculpture.
