Chelsea Young

Chelsea's artistic practice has transitioned from large-scale oil paintings created during her urban life in Cape Town, South Africa, to a more intuitive combination of textiles and oil paintings, now based in her studio in Botswana.

Situated in Southern Africa, Botswana is renowned for its natural beauty, notably the Kalahari Desert and the Okavango Delta, which is celebrated as one of the world's seven natural wonders. Having earned her Fine Art Degree at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa, Chelsea gained a distinction for her exploration of "art as experience," focussing on the impact of specific elements such as colour and scent on the human body. 

In 2022, Chelsea participated in two international artist residencies, one in Kenya's Rift Valley and another in the village of Andore, India. These experiences were pivotal, inspiring a shift in her creative practice towards intuitive and experiential artworks, akin to internal landscapes.  Her travels have, naturally, informed her artistic expression, merging her life experiences with her creative practice and have become a catalyst to explore the depth of the African continent.  As she delves further into her practice, Chelsea draws inspiration from the simplicity of existence, reflecting on the importance of a connection with life's essence. Through her art, she seeks to evoke these universal aspirations, inviting viewers to engage with the beauty and depth of the human experience.