Artist Profile:
     Chip Travers

When I was a child growing up in New York, I always knew I would be an artist of some sort. I never was really too good with crayons or water paints but they intrigued me greatly, I guess it was the color in the lines thing, border and limits.

When it was time to answer the eternal question all adolescents face “What are you going to be when you grow up?” I panicked. What was I good at? Math? Writing? Sports? Nope... Art, I could draw and create images...the rest is history.

My initial thought was did I want to be a starving artist? A beatnik in Greenwich Village? An art teacher? Or a commercial artist (known today as a graphic designer). So the trail was in front of me. All I needed to do is finish high school and the world was mine.

Fast forward to my senior year in high school...college time was in front of me and now the fork in my career path emerged with 3 options, a. State College and become an art teacher b. get drafted or Join the military c. go to a technical college to study commercial art and set my career path. So it was off to a 2-year college to study commercial art...not the fine arts.

After I got my degree from the State of NY university system, It was off to the races.

My first job was as an assistant art director at a large ad agency in NY. It was a great experience and I started to build a decent portfolio. I guess I was a young “madman” creating designs for anything printable or production oriented. This was okay but still not fulfilling...too much production and not enough creation or actual artwork.

After a few years in the trenches, it was time to broaden my horizons and head west and look for that perfect job, as an artist.

Arrived in Tucson and started to build a resume and accumulate a decent book and start my new base of operations.

The world of the local media was my launching pad of my career with Radio, TV, Outdoor Advertising doing creative approaches for my client base. After many successful years on my own it was time to join the ranks of a working stiff.

So here I was after a long and successful career and I was still missing something it was my desire to actually draw, paint and create pieces of art….kind of a cyclical series of events resulting in my creation of art to entertain the masses and put a smile on some faces.

In the past 5 years I have been busy painting and drawing images of the west, wildlife and life in general...after a real busy year in 2017 with many shows and exhibitions I continue to have the inspiration and drive to keep on going.

Currently, I am a partner in The Leaping Lizard Gallery on Tanque Verde Road and have a wide variety of my art.

Chip Travers Biography

Chip Travers has an extensive background in both Creative marketing and graphics. From 1968-1976 Chip was employed by Phillips / Algona Associates in Garden City, NY where he worked as a graphic designer, Art Director and Production Manager. From 1976-1978 Chip was employed by KTAR TV – 12 in Phoenix, AZ as Art Director where he was responsible for On-Air appearances and all promotional materials, News Graphics, Courtroom Illustration, Still Photography etc. for both affiliates in Tucson and the Phoenix markets. From 1978-1992 Chip successfully operated his own company, Chip Travers Graphic Design in Tucson, Az. As Owner Operator, Chip Produced quality graphic designs, illustrations and productions first for to the local Tucson market then to the entire Southwest. He specialized in hotel food & beverage, professional sports teams, restaurants, and special events. He created annual reports and providing graphic support to enhance each company’s image in local and regional markets. Between 1992 and 2010 Chip served as the Art and Marketing Director for Eegee’s restaurants in Tucson.

In 2010 after a rather early retirement, he focused on his real love...creating visual images and enjoying the local environment.

In 2013 he joined Chris Bubany in her gallery as a member of her Co-op. Since this change in social involvement with the graphic and art direction fields, he began to exhibit his works at various shows and exhibits.

In 2017 he was a featured artist in residence at the De Grazia Gallery and the members show at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum.

He is an annual exhibitor at the Spring art Festival at Tubac, Reid Park, Patagonia, Tucson Museum of Art ‘s fall marketplace along with various shows in the Old Pueblo.

Earlier this year he became a founding member of the new Leaping Lizard Gallery on Tanque Verde Road.