We were lucky to catch up with Chelsey Luster recently and have shared our conversation below.
Chelsey, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?
I love being an artist and curator, I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else. Growing up people always told me that I’d have to find a non-creative career to be successful and they were completely wrong. There is art all around us from the clothes we wear to the posters on our walls to the carefully designs mundane its that we use everyday.
As the Exhibition Manager at Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, one of the most recognizable art spaces in Philadelphia, and an artists with multiple fellowships, connections to galleries, and regular sales, I am able to sustain myself and live a comfortable life as a creative person. We need to stop telling people that creative careers aren’t sustainable. We need creative people to make the world a beautiful place.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Chelsey Luster and I am a Philadelphia-based curator, visual artist and art instructor from Baltimore, Maryland. I am the Exhibition Manager at Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens. Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens (PMG) proudly displays the works of local, national, and international artists whose art compliments or responds to Isaiah Zagar’s art environment in unique and exciting ways.
My visual art work focuses on intimacy, vulnerability, and privacy through depictions of domestic spaces. My current body of work focuses on intimacy, safety, and vulnerability through depictions of invented and physical domestic spaces. In my current body of work “Finding Home”, I examine my models’ safe and vulnerable spaces from memory and imagination. I pull from imagery of their loved ones’ studios, bedrooms, altars, memories, and where they find comfort mentally to create sacred environments for them to exist in. In these works, I share my perspective on the importance of protecting internal and external safe havens and sanctuaries through vibrant paintings and installations.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
The best way to support artists is to show up to their openings, share their work with others in person or online, and to purchase their work or merchandise. Owning an original artwork that an artist has spent the time studying for and creating is an incredible gift. If you are not able to purchase an original work, more artist create prints or smaller items that can be purchased. The more you can financially support an artist, the more time and freedom they will have to make more work.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
Non-creative people don’t always realize what went into making an artwork. One question that people always ask me is “how long did this painting take you” and that is a very complicated question. Most people assume that an artist sits down, makes a masterpiece in a few hours, and then tries to sell it. This assumption disregards all of the trial and error, years of studying in university or independently, and materials used for the work. For example, I studied art at a magnet middle school, magnet high school, art college, an art residency, three art fellowships, critique groups formed by artists collectives, through books/online research, and years of independent practice. So when someone asks me how long a painting took, all of those factors contributed to the final product along with material cost to create the work.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.chelseyluster.com
- Instagram: @ChelseyLusterArt
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsey-luster-6793bb235/