t h e es t a t e o f m a r k c h a p m a n c a t sp r i n g , t e x a s
Mark Chapman was an astute businessman, philanthropist, poet and painter. He was also a collector of fine art, amassing an impressive and eclectic collection of paintings, many of which will be offered in this sale. Chapman grew up near Broughton, a small town 30 miles northwest of Manhattan, Kansas, and home to Kansas State University (KSU), where he earned bachelor’s degrees in history and political science in 1965. As a student, he was involved in the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps, Acacia fraternity and athletics, including football and track. After earning a Doctor of Jurisprudence at the University of Texas, Mark spent two years as a United States Army Signal Core officer stationed in Thailand. Upon discharge, he began investing in real estate in Houston. After the real estate market crashed, he entered the depressed oil and gas business, betting on his vision of the market’s future and risking substantial debt to do so. His venture into the oil and gas business ultimately prospered, and he began to purchase farmland in Kansas and Nebraska. Chapman was a member of the KSU Foundation President’s Club, making significant gifts to Kansas State University for over 25 years. In addition to his support of the athletics department, his contributions established the Chapman Center for Rural Studies in History, an art gallery in Willard Hall and the Chapman-Mellenthin Plaza at the College of Veterinary Medicine. He helped develop the Chapman Scholars Program in the College of Arts and Sciences and supported two full-ride Presidential Scholarships. He most recently provided funds for the School of Music, Theatre and Dance to become an “All-Steinway School”. Furthermore, the Mark A. Chapman Foundation, independently created by Mark, funds approximately 100 scholarships annually in Kansas and Texas. In addition to his support for Kansas State University, Chapman has also made generous contributions in the greater Clay Center, Kansas community; made major donations to the Clay County Medical Center, including funding the Mark A. Chapman Wellness Center; and he has given scholarships to many Clay County High School graduates, to the Clay County Museum and to the Birger Sandzen Memorial Foundation. New Orleans Auction Galleries is honored to offer paintings from the Mark Chapman Collection.