ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

My name is Mallory Chaput and this is my partner Cole Klismith. We have a very close relationship and we have been together since 2012. I have a biology, business, and accounting degree and I work as an independent contractor providing landscaping and other services. Cole works for the local potable water treatment plant and he absolutely loves his job! I am a hobby artist and started painting characters and animals a couple of years ago. I usually painted dragons, fish, and other animals. I loved painting these, however I wanted to create art with a deeper purpose. One night when I was exploring around the city, trying to find new parks to picnic at and watch for wildlife, I found a nice private park near some ponds with fountains. As I looped around a path that went around one of the ponds, I saw these massive water tanks to my left and it ignited my curiosity. I investigated this location and discovered it to be a local water reclamation facility. I am from a very rural area so I was not too familiar with these places. I have done a lot of research and digging into the water industry since then and I have developed a deeper interest in the topic. I have always had a strong interest in the environment, as well as biology. I have been fish keeping for some time before and I would do water tests on my systems and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The mechanical aspects of water treatment systems spark my interest in industrial art as well. It all seemed to come together for me and there is no turning back. Water, nature, chemistry, engineering, biology, the environment, and some industrial art thrown in it and I have myself the perfect creation. My art mission got deeper not only because I can artistically express the subjects I deeply love, but I can help others with it! What once was a fleeting artistic interest became a long term endeavor. I made a painting for a children's book concept and I fell in love with it! After this, I truly felt that this was my artistic calling. Since then I have focused and experimented with different ideas such as comics, coloring pages for adults, commissions and collabs with others, and coloring pages for children with water terminology. The commissions have helped me connect with others and gain more knowledge about the industry. I have a lot of goals and ideas for different projects in the future to contribute to the water industry. I am hoping to educate and spark other’s interests in relation to the water industry using my artwork, and I am also hoping to inspire others to create similar art.