Chelsea Dalsey

Chelsea Dalsey is a polymath and lifelong ‘artistic’ who began pursuing art as a career in 2020 after spending the majority of her adulthood pursuing a career as an MD.

Presently enjoying a fulfilling and purposeful life as a full-time artist, she credits her success to a journey of enlightenment that began with giving up drugs and alcohol in October 2011. Spanning significant personal losses, unexpected blessings, and extensive self-examination, this road was paved with a commitment to personal growth and radical acceptance that all human experience is valid, vital, and beautiful. From her understanding of human anatomy to her thematic exploration of death, sexuality, and expansion, the depth and breadth of her life experiences are reflected in her art.

Her work examines “the inherent weirdness of existing in a body” and the interplay between body, mind, and higher consciousness. These themes are evidenced in her autobiographical explorations on canvas, her use of the body as a medium through performance and face and body painting, and her interactive large-scale sculptures that invite the public to participate and interface their bodies with the art she creates.

In addition to her work at Cherry Street Pier, her professional pursuits include in-house graphic design and social media for Double Nickel Brewing Company, roles on both the Art Department and Special FX Makeup Team at Eastern State Penitentiary’s Halloween Nights attraction, and work as a face and body painter for Cherry Street Pier and Spruce Street Harbor Park, as well as private events. She looks forward to continuing to expand and adapt as her story unfolds and hopes to use her residency to foster community around self-expression.