Karen Chatham is an ambidextrous artist who moonlights as a health care provider. Her philosophy is to live life bravely and creatively. Her ideal dinner companion is Leonardo da Vinci.
My sister, Jennie Massie.
2) What do you love most about living in Moab?
Blue skies, red cliffs and no humidity.
3) What do you dislike about living in Moab?
No left hand turn signals on Main St.
4) What is your occupation?
I work nights as a health care provider, and during the day I work in my studio on art projects.
5) If you could have any job in the world, what would you most like to do?
An artist that makes a living being an artist.
6) Describe a typical day in your life.
I go to work at 5 p.m. and work until 9 a.m., come home and play with my two cats, then go out to work in the garden. I paint in my studio or work on my concrete leaf castings.
7) Some people have bumper stickers on their car that read: I’d Rather be Sailing. What would your bumper sticker read? I’d Rather Be…
I’d rather be making art.
8) Tell us one thing people don’t usually know about you.
I’m ambidextrous.
9) In high school, you would have been considered the person most likely to…
Be a CIA agent.
10) What is your favorite Moab activity?
The Art Walk and festivals.
11) Tell us your favorite non-Moab place to visit.
Chester, Vt. It’s a beautiful town where I went one summer for art lessons from watercolorist Jeanne Carbonetti.
12) What do you consider your greatest achievement in life?
To learn how to live in the “now.”
13) If you were President, what’s the first thing you’d do to make life better in America?
I would copy Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “New Deal” Program, The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The program was designed to provide jobs for thousands of people during the Great Depression, at the same time implementing a national resource conservation program in every state.
14) What superhero power would you most like to have?
Mental telepathy.
15) If you could be an animal, what would it be? Why?
Dolphin. They are highly intelligent.
16) What is your all time favorite movie?
I’m not sure I have a “favorite” but I often recommend “Exit Through the Gift Shop” because it proves anything is possible.
17) And, your all time favorite book?
“Ishmael,” by Daniel Quinn.
18) If you were stranded on a desert island, what three music albums would you want to have with you?
The natural sounds from nature would be fine with me, but I like soft jazz, Norah Jones, and Sade.
19) If you could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, who would it be? Why?
Leonardo da Vinci. He was a genius and a great artist.
20) What is your life philosophy?
Be brave. Live life creatively.
