Kasumi - refers to the low misty clouds that linger
on the slopes of Haleakala in the spring.
Artist Statement
I began painting with pastels in 2004 because they were a natural
transition from the familiar practice of drawing to the challenge of
painting. In pastel I discovered the perfect medium to capture the
subtle atmospheric effects created at dawn and
twilight. From a cool, misty grove of eucalyptus trees to the warm
gradations of Haleakala in the distance, pastel allows me to capture
the atmospheric beauty of Maui's landscapes.
Materials & Technique:
My recent shift to sanded pastel paper has yielded beautiful
results. I start by applying a watercolor underpainting to Wallis
Museum Grade pastel paper. I
then rough-in the composition, adding layers of pastel with a broken
texture that allows the watercolor to shine through. The final phase
feels a lot like sculpting - building up layers heavily when needed,
and sometimes removing them with a small bristle brush. I also apply
iridescent watercolor to Colourfix paper in dark shades. The Colourfix
paper takes on a reflective quality which provides a lively contrast to
the matte texture of the pastel. By
allowing new materials into the process such as charcoal, graphite and
iridescent watercolors I have been able to push pastel into a multi-dimensional medium. Watercolor
pigment settles into the recesses of the paper while the pastel grabs
the raised surfaces. The soft blending of pastel next to a sharp stroke of graphite offers a satisfying contrast. It is my way of coaxing as much expression out of that fine gritty surface as I can.
As my work evolves I will continue to merge the accidental nature of
watercolor with the energetic gestures of charcoal drawing to add depth
and expression to my pastels.
Design:
I
look for strong contrasts often in the form of silhouettes or I choose
ephemeral atmospheric elements that provoke an emotional response. I am trying to pay attention to color
as a way of communicating mood and atmosphere. I
use silhouettes in my compositions in a manner often seen in Japanese
woodblock prints. These bold shapes help "frame" the subject. It
could be a row of trees in the foreground, a single tree branch or
telephone pole. The broken texture of the pastel reduces the flatness
of these shapes. Finally I judge the overall effect and whether my eyes want to move around the image.
Subjects:
I describe familiar landscapes from new perspectives and at
different times
of day - particularly dawn and twilight. Wet roads at dawn and sunset
are incredibly expressive and have a sentimental appeal. I try to
capture scenes in a way that allows a viewer to understand and feel
what a moment in that place was like. I also like
calling attention to subjects that viewers might not have noticed or cared about. I
would like to identify new icons of Upcountry Maui - those places,
atmospheric occurrences, scenes - that are familiar and hold meaning to
the people who live in and visit this place.
Motivation:
A good painting tells a story
about something. It is a visual narrative - perhaps as simple as a
Haiku. A painting of a house is not necessarily about the house itself
- it could be about lighting conditions, an
approaching storm, the texture of a nearby tree. I don't care so much
about what a painting is of as I do care about what the painting is
about. The point of painting is
communication, and in a place as small and familiar as Maui it
is important for artists to point out new things and
have a dialogue about the changing landscape while recording those
aspects that we hold dear. In this way art performs a service to the
community in that it shakes us from generalizations and reconnects us
with essential values. I feel as though I could spend my entire life
painting on this single island and not run out of stories to tell which is
why, among other reasons, I feel certain that I will call this place
home.
Biographical Information:
Born on Maui 1979
1997 Graduate - Seabury Hall - Makawao, HI
2001 Graduate - University of Puget Sound -
Tacoma, WA
Bachelor of Arts in English with Honors
Commercial Picture Framer since 2001
Membership:
Seabury Hall Alumni Board of Directors 2002 - 2004
Seabury Hall Alumni Association
Hui Noe'au Visual Arts Center
Maui Nui Botanical Gardens
Exhibitions:
2004 "Malama Wao Akua 'O Maui Hikina"
Viewpoints Gallery, Maui
2007 "Malama Wao Akua 'O Maui Hikina"
Viewpoints Gallery, Maui
2008 "Art Maui" Schaefer International Gallery
2008 Seabury Hall Craft Fair - Alumni Group Show
2008 "4th of July Makawao Paint Out Invitational"
Viewpoints Gallery, Maui
2008 "The Best of Upcountry"
Viewpoints Gallery, Maui
2008 "Malama Wao Akua" Viewpoints Gallery
About The Artist:
I discovered the joy of creating artwork early in life. Below is an image of my first painting, Fish.
By the age of five my interest in visual details and storytelling led
me to create series of paintings - as many as 18 in one weekend -
depicting favorite cartoon characters in elaborate scenes. I continued
to draw, paint, and sculpt throughout my childhood with the encouragement of my parents and teachers.
Under Construction
Chelsea painting at her parent's home in Olinda
photo by Kit Gentry
Chelsea's first painting: "Fish" age 4
My
parents started framing pictures in 1981 and as the business grew I was
exposed to more artists and professional artwork. The portrait below
was painted by Jan Kasprzycki in 1986 (in exchange for framing
services) and is a treasured part of my family's art collection.
"Chelsea In The Wind In Olinda, 1986" by Jan Kasprzycki
By the time I reached middle school at Seabury Hall I was labeled an artist
by my peers and pursued that part of my identity intently. In my
junior and senior years of high school I received the annual "George
Martin Art Award" for excellence in visual art. Summer jobs provided
hands-on experience in Maui's growing art industry - framing art at the
family business and retouching prints at Maui Giclee where I witnessed
the rise of digital printing.
At
The University of Puget Sound I put my interest in studio art on hold
while I studied writing and art history. In four years I earned an
English degree with honors and a new appreciation of the island home I
had left behind. I returned to Maui in 2001 where I immediately went
to work in the family frame shop.
Every day I studied the artwork passing through our shop. Exposure to
the creative work of others moved me to start painting again after five
years away from art. In 2004 I discovered pastels and quickly gained
confidence through that medium - successfully entering the Malama Wao Akua shows at Viewpoints Gallery in '04 and '07. When my small pastel "Crossing Makawao Avenue" was accepted to Art Maui
in 2008 (and promptly sold) I knew my work was gaining momentum. Two
months later I participated in an alumni group show at the Seabury Hall
Craft Fair (with emerging artists Matt Holton and Julia Cost) where my
sales helped raise $1,000 for the financial aid program.
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"Crossing Makawao Avenue" pastel 8" x 10" Art Maui 2008
When I was asked to participate in The 4th of July Makawao Paint Out Invitational
I recognized the tremendous opportunity to take my painting to the next
level. The comraderie I experienced was unexpected in such a
competitive field, and I was grateful for the insights I gained into
the creative process as I watched other artists struggle and succeed.
During
the past four years I have gained enough confidence and technical
experience to do the paintings I have been thinking about for years,
and I still have much more to say. The response to my work has been
very gratifying, and I see a lot of enjoyable work ahead of me as my
paintings catch up with my ideas.