About Catherine Chesters

Artist. Designer. Educator.

With a fulfilling career in entertainment, branding, and television that continues to this day, I now also devote significant creative energy to abstract painting, mixed media artwork, and community education from my studio nestled in upstate New York.

Background & Education

My formative years in the arts began properly in England, where I earned an Honours degree from the London College of Communication, following a Higher National Diploma in Design Communications at Suffolk College and an OND in Graphic Design from Durham New College. I've since expanded my practice through quite lovely courses in screen printing at The Gowanus Studios in New York, the Manhattan Graphics Center, and Otis School of Art in California.

Creative Journey

For quite some time, I balanced my professional life between New York City and the tranquil western Catskills. These days, I'm rather settled upstate, where I maintain my active design practice while simultaneously developing my artistic pursuits, managing my studio and gallery space, conducting classes and workshops, teaching within the community, and having the pleasure of showcasing fellow artists.

Professional Design

My design sensibilities continue to serve both local businesses throughout our upstate community and clients in entertainment, branding, and television. I've had the pleasure of creating distinctive visual identities for numerous establishments in our area, bringing a thoughtful aesthetic informed by decades of experience. This ongoing design practice, which balances local connections with broader industry work, complements and enriches my artistic pursuits, creating a fascinating dialogue between commercial design and fine art expression.

Artistic Vision

My artwork transforms quiet observations of nature and human experience into abstract expressions that elevate the ordinary and life's complexities into rather evocative imagery. Growing up in County Durham in Northeast England during the rather challenging 1970s and 80s left quite an impression—witnessing a society under economic strain against a backdrop of simply magnificent natural beauty created a sense of duality that continues to inform my work.

Drawing inspiration from early pop art, the brilliant colour palettes found in nature, and my continued design experience, I create pieces that meld abstract painting with digital techniques, photography, collage, and mixed media. The resulting works offer somewhat surreal visuals while maintaining a gentle sense of optimism, exploring the curious relationship between rural landscapes and urban experiences.

Community Engagement

I find quite a bit of fulfillment in sharing art with others as an instructor at Bethel Woods, the Tusten Social, and through various classes at Chesters Studio. These teaching endeavors have become rather an essential part of my artistic journey.

Recognition

My work is represented by Cynthia Byrnes Art and Interiors and Elizabeth Sadoff Art Advisory. It has appeared in Architectural Digest, the 2018 Wassaic Project, the Resilience: Womankind Art Exhibit in New York City, and exhibitions at The Delaware Valley Arts Alliance.

At Chesters, I continue to balance my art and design practice while fostering community connections through workshops and exhibitions.