Through exploration of composition, scale, narratives, and mental health, Stewart constructs large scale abstract interdisciplinary pieces ranging from sculpture, installation, and 2D works. The relationships between feeling grounded, the action of erosion, and the human body and mind form the fundamentals of her work. Using erosion of geological forms as a catalyst, the passing of her grandmother from dementia, and her own experience with anxiety, Stewart admires the meditative process of the act of making to communicate personal narratives of mental health to mirror its brittleness and its underlying strength. 

Seeing family members go through experiences such as anxiety and depression has inspired Stewart to make work that depict her own anxieties and experiences through 2D and 3D forms.  The feeling of being grounded in life, and the fragility of the human experience is visualized through installations and paintings in her own narratives. The vulnerability, tension and delicate state of the canvas and materials such as paper and fibers, echoes the emotions that are felt when going through difficult times. Care is shown through in the meditative process of making the work, juxtaposing the frustration, anger and confusion that reveals itself through these tangible formations, dissecting mental health in the technicalities of the composition. Using a variety of mediums such as paper, textiles, painting, and most recently metal, including acrylic on canvas and paper-making in micro- and macro- scales, fuses together with unconventional, everyday materials to represent the themes of feeling grounded to one’s self and wellbeing versus the external forces that we as humans experience day to day.  

Chelsea Stewart was born in 1997 in San Mateo County, CA. She lives in San Mateo and works in Palo Alto, CA. Stewart is currently attending San Jose State while working towards her MFA in Spatial Arts. Stewart completed a residency in the Cubberley Artist Studio Program in Palo Alto, CA and currently works as the Gallery Manager at the Pamela Walsh Gallery in downtown Palo Alto, CA. She was recently granted a Featured Emerging Artist Award in Content Mag issue 14.3 “Perform” in the Silicon Valley in affiliation with SVCreates.

CV

Born and raised in Belmont, CA
Lives and works in the San Francisco Bay Area, CA

Education

California State University, San Jose

Spatial Arts, M.F.A. candidate 2025

California State University, East Bay

Art Museum and Gallery Studies Certificate, 2021

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Art & Design, B.F.A. 2020

concentration in Studio Art, Integrated Marketing Communications minor

Solo Exhibitions

2025

(upcoming) Thesis Exhibition, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA

2024

it’s a whole process, Theta Belcher Gallery, San Jose, CA

Inquietude, Herbert Sanders Gallery, San Jose, CA

Routine, Gallery 5, San Jose, CA

2020

Eroded; Art After Dark, San Luis Obispo, CA

Selected Group Exhibitions

2025

(upcoming) Liftoff 2024-2025, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose, CA curated by Zoë Latzer

2024

2024 Murphy and Cadogan Contemporary Art Awards Exhibition, SOMA Arts Cultural Center, San Francisco, CA curated by Kevin Chen

Metamorphasis, Gallery 3, San Jose, CA

Reclamation, Pamela Walsh Gallery, Palo Alto, CA

Tierra y Raíces/Earth and Roots, Works/San José, San Jose, CA

SIXBYSIX, THIS______________ Gallery, Vancouver, BC

2023

Fabricated Truths, curated by Steve Davis and Lynn Dau, Gallery 3, San Jose, CA

Beyond Words, Group Exhibition, curated by Lance Fung, Black Gallery, San Jose, CA

Dialogos, Group Exhibition, Gallery 3, San Jose, CA

Surrounding (Self), Group Exhibition, Gallery 1202, Gilroy, CA (3D Tour)

(Un)Familiar, NUMU (New Museum Los Gatos) Group Exhibition, Los Gatos, CA

2022

Gargoylz N Lockerz, Gallery 3, San Jose, CA

Redux, BFA Alumni Group Exhibition, Dexter Gallery, Cal Poly SLO, CA

Collections Group Exhibition, Theta Belcher Gallery, San Jose, CA

2021

Unsettled, THIS______________ Gallery, Vancouver, BC

London Art Biennale 2021, London UK

World of Co Virtual Residency Group Exhibition, I’m Tired of It

2020

Reconnecting..., Cal Poly SLO Spring BFA Exhibition, San Luis Obispo, CA

2019

Works Sited; San Luis Obispo, CA

Annual Student Juried Exhibition, Dexter Gallery, San Luis Obispo, CA

2018

Annual Student Juried Exhibition, Dexter Gallery, San Luis Obispo, CA

Work & Curatorial Experience

2024

(present) Gallery Manager, Pamela Walsh Gallery, Palo Alto, CA

(present) Teaching Associate, ART 13: 3D Design Concepts (Fall 2024), San Jose State University, San Jose, CA

Juror, Women’s View Exhibition, San Mateo County Art’s and Culture, San Mateo, CA

2023

Teaching Assistant, ART 68: Beginning Sculpture, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA

Teaching Assistant, ART 13: 3D Design Concepts, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA

Dialogos Group Exhibition, Theta Belcher Gallery, San Jose State University, San Jose CA

2022

Collections Group Exhibition, Theta Belcher Gallery, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA

Freelance Graphic Designer for Palo Alto Art Center, Palo Alto CA

2021

Website Design Assistant, Palo Alto Art Center Foundation, Palo Alto, CA (here)

2020

Gallery Assistant, Pamela Walsh Gallery, Palo Alto, CA

2019

Social Media & Marketing Intern, Palo Alto Art Center, Palo Alto, CA

Residencies

2021

Cubberley Artist Studio Program, 4 Month Residency, Palo Alto, CA

2020

World of Co Online Artist Residency (December), Sofia, Bulgaria

Group Digital Residency, San Luis Obispo Museum of Art Instagram; San Luis Obispo, CA

Guest Speaking Engagements & Artist Talks

2023

How to Critique Presentation / Workshop, Art 13: 3D Design Concepts, San Jose State University, San Jose CA

Portfolio Review Panelist, ART 463: Senior Portfolio Project, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA

Art in Action Creative Connections Panelist

ART 1: Art Professional Practices, San Jose State University Artist Talk

2022

World of Co Alumni Artist Talk

2021

genArts Silicon Valley Artist Talk IG Live

World of Co Alumni Artist Talk

ART 260: Critique, Discourse and Practice, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA

Intern Alumni Session: Networking in the Bay Area for Emerging Artists, Palo Alto Art Center, Palo Alto, CA

World of Co Residency IGTV Artist Talk with Amalia Galdona Broche

2020

​Content Magazine Pick-Up Party 13.1 Discover & 12.4 Profiles Artist Talk

Cal Poly SLO BFA Senior Showcase IG Live Artist Talk

Cal Poly SLO Open House Art and Design Department Panel + Q&A

ART 260: Critique, Discourse and Practice, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA

Cal Poly SLO College of Liberal Arts Fall Welcome Panelist

2019

Cal Poly SLO Open House Art and Design Department Panel + Q&A

ART 260: Critique, Discourse and Practice, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA

2018

Cal Poly SLO Open House Art and Design Department Panel + Q&A

Awards

2024

Cadogan Scholarship Award Recipient, San Francisco Arts Foundation, CA

2022

Content Emerging Artist Award, awarded by SVCreates and Content Magazine, San Jose, CA

2021

Art in Action Featured Artist, Silicon Valley, CA

Gagliardi Gallery Award, London, UK

2020     

Honorable Mention, Hole; Art of the Mark Exhibition, The Art Guild; Manhasset, NY

Honorable Mention, Hole; Abstracts Art Exhibition, J. Mane Gallery; Online Gallery

Recipient of Cal Poly SLO Art and Design Department's Outstanding Contribution to the Program Award; San Luis Obispo, CA

2019

Recipient of Cal Poly SLO Studio Art Student Award Scholarship; San Luis Obispo, CA

Selected Related Experience

2023

(ongoing) Grad Critique Club Participant, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA

(ongoing) Art in Action Volunteer, Redwood City, CA

2021

5- Week Curatorial Short Course taught by Pam Marlene Taylor of Stay Home Gallery and Residency

2019

President, College of Liberal Arts Ambassadors, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA

2018

Vice President of Communications, College of Liberal Arts Ambassadors, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA

Media

2024

“Poetry in Play”, Liftoff 2024, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA

Chelsea Stewart | On Her Practice, NUMU Los Gatos Blog, Los Gatos, CA

Publications

Selected Bibliography