I’m Chelsea.

An artist and illustrator based in Scotland but was born and raised in Vancouver on the very west coast of Canada. I am used to cold and rainy winters, love the smell of pine trees, and will forever be fan of ice hockey. Even though I will always prefer a poutine to a haggis, I’ve been lucky to call Scotland home for nearly 7 years and am grateful both for the life I have built here and for my roots back in the great white north. 

A young woman with red hair, wearing a tan turtleneck, smiling at the camera in a cozy living room.

~ Rebel Against the Artificial ~

I’ve been working and developing in the arts for over a decade since graduating from an arts high school, and have found my passion in creating, teaching and supporting local arts communities and festivals through a variety of platforms. After graduating university with a degree in Fine Arts, I worked as a Drama, Art and English teacher in high schools for 6 years and loved every moment of it. In 2019, I sold all my things and took two suitcases and my ukulele with me across the pond to start a new adventure in the United Kingdom. This was a life changing decision and came with some really difficult times (global pandemic being a big one), but I’ve never regretted my choice to remain here. I’ve had opportunities to work with arts charities like the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Impact Arts, and for over 3 years  have organized a monthly community art club called ‘Sesh and Sketch’. I’ve been fortunate enough to get to know local artists through makers markets, and have had my work published in several local collectives including ‘Little Livingroom’.  

People gathered around a table with some looking surprised or intrigued in a cozy, dimly-lit restaurant or cafe with blue walls and framed pictures.

Artwork is a revolution in a world that is feeling increasingly contrived, broken and false. When I illustrate, I am inspired by the day-to-day stories of the world around me. Often my linework is quite structured, and I like to practice various shading techniques to give the images detail. What you’re left with is a defined picture of the subject matter, often without a background to distract from the image focus. In the last few years, I’ve begun to craft my painting skills and have worked mostly with acrylic and gouache. These pieces have taken on a slight abstract and obscure structure without going so far as surreal. Things like a frog dressed in clothing and riding a bike, or a ghost waiting for a taxi don’t exist in our world, but we can imagine them and if we can do that then they exist somewhere not too far. Painting is also where I get to show off the colourful backgrounds that add to the narrative of the picture, and it is my favourite part of starting a new piece.

Each piece is created traditionally by hand, and care is taken into the design, colour, and narrative of the work.