Following his birth in Pittsfield, Massachusetts in 1943 his family returned to the Glens Falls area where Paul attended St. Mary’s Academy to grade six. His family built a home in Hudson Falls and in 1955 he entered grade seven in the “new” high school, graduating in 1961. He furthered his education, graduating from SUNY New Paltz in 1965with a major in Art Education.
Following college and a summer working at Kamyr, he took a brief trip to the American west coast. He returned to Hudson Falls, realizing that he was a small town boy. Soon after his return, he began his career joining the Queensbury school system. He taught art in the primary, intermediate, middle school, and finally in the high school. While at the high school, he was art department chairman. He also spent considerable time as a union representative throughout his career; ultimately becoming a building Vice President and a member of the negotiating team. In 2001 he retired after teaching thirty-five and a half years.
In 1966 he married Charlotte Sarra and in the 90’s he built his family’s present home in Hudson Falls next door to the house his father built. The Chapman’s have three children, Jennifer, Benjamin, and Schuyler and all members of the family have graduated from Hudson Falls Central School.
Upon retirement, Paul started painting full time; trying to learn more about the ways of acrylic paint. He has been included in many juried shows, locally and nationally. In some of those shows he has won prizes and recognition. He has also been part of many group and solo shows locally and out of the area. In 2009 he won an individual artist’s grant from LARAC. In 2010 he was a winner in a national competition. His work was shown in the 2010 issue of “The Artist’s Magazine”. He has been a winner in this competition twice in five years and has been a finalist twice, in similar competitions held by this magazine. He has been included in the Artists of the Mohawk Hudson Region, several years. He has shown in the states of Ohio, Texas, New Jersey, Vermont, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and New York. His work has been shown in New York City twice. His work has been published in International Art Search publications. He has also been included in another national art book, “Studio Visit Magazine”. His work is part of many private collections. His work has gone through many changes and continues to do so. He still shows his work at the local and national level.