Chella
Artist Biography & Contact
Chella, 'en plein aire' professional artist, is a transplant to Stanislaus County, Modesto CA from Warren Indiana in the 50's. She graduated in the high school class of ‘24 and from Ball State University with a BS in art education. In 1994 she retired after teaching 27 years in the Modesto City School District. She was and still is a private visual art instructor, art advocate, demonstrator and judge. Her artwork has been accepted into regional, statewide, national competitive shows as well as part of private and corporate collections. On-going exhibits of her works can be found at the Trewin Framery in north Modesto, John Natsoulas Gallery in Davis, at the office of Lynn Zwahlen DDC, the Carnegie Art Center, gift store, in Turlock, Crave Café on Coffee Road, Modesto, Andre David Hair Salon on McHenry, Modesto, and of course, Central California Art Association/Mistlin Gallery.
Chella is accomplished in a variety of media including pen and ink, pencil, oil, acrylic, watercolor, collage and print making. Her styles include non-representational, abstraction, and impressionistic. She has illustrated a cookbook, a poetry book, and two coloring books telling stories of Modesto's McHenry Mansion.
She has studied with nationally known artists, I Rice Pereira, Margo Hoff, Wm. Scott Jennings, Gerald Brommer, E. John Robinson, Dan Petersen, Brian Blood, Richard Smith, Alexander Neporte, George, Post, Richard Yip, Bob Gerbracht, Stan Goldstein, Lida Giambastini, Pattie Brady, Charles Waldman, Gil Dillinger, Peggy Knoll-Roberts, Kathleen Dunphy, and latest with Slava Korolenkov of Russia.
She strives to immortalize the Central Valley agricultural structures (tank house, silos) farming techniques, homesteads, landscapes (palm trees, rivers, canals) and other well-known landmarks. She is a visual historical recorder. An example of such is a 6 foot by 8 foot oil-on-canvas painting entitled: 'The Valley View.’ It portrays the valley in the early 1800's with its marshes, rivers, swamps, trees and reeds. It hangs within a complete green environmental architectural award winning building, the Beckwith Animal Hospital off Hwy 99, Modesto.
ARTIST STATEMENT
All great artists have certain perceptions on art concept. Chella's views are summarized by these quotes.
"You use a mirror to see your face. You use works of art to see your soul" -George Bernard Shaw
"To look is one thing. To see is a third. To learn from what you understand is still something else. To act on what you learn is all that matters." -A Taoist
My own thoughts:
"Art is being human, being an artist is to record your own time, thoughts and place"
"Art is to look, to perceive, to interrupt, to create with your soul.”
1349 Crawford Road, Modesto, Ca 95357-0906