Chelsea Rushton

Chelsea Rushton holds a BFA with distinction in Creative Writing from the University of Victoria and an MFA in Visual Art from the University of Calgary. She is a certified 500 hour yoga teacher and a practicing death doula. She developed and taught Art of the Soul: Creative Process as Spiritual Practice, an undergraduate lecture, seminar, and studio course that profiles 20th century modern and contemporary artists who engage in art-making as a method of spiritual inquiry and practice. Her research has been supported by the British Columbia Arts Council, the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, the University of Calgary’s Centre for Research in the Fine Arts, and Calgary Arts Development. 

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2024
Heart Sutras. Habit Atrium, Victoria, BC

2023
Awakening. Electra Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

2018
Vespers. Studio 55C, New York, NY

2017
The Sankalpa Centre for Dreams and Visions. Lightbox Studio, Arts Commons, Calgary, AB

2016
Vespers, Lauds, and Other Prayers. The Little Gallery, University of Calgary, AB

2015
Vision. The Little Gallery, University of Calgary, AB.
Motherland. Untitled Art Society +15 Window, Arts Commons, Calgary, AB

2014
Motherland, in Progress. The Little Gallery, University of Calgary, AB

2013
Pilgrim. The Wunder Gallery, University of Calgary, AB

2011
Enzo: Bowl that Holds the Universe. Discovery Coffee, Victoria, BC

2010
Small Things. Bean Around the World, Victoria, BC

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2019
Art from the Heart. Studio 55C, New York, NY

2018
Your Brain on Art. cSpace King Edward, Calgary, AB

2016
Dreams, Visions, Guides, and Vespers, with Yuh-Shioh Wong, Fariba Bogzaran, and Georgia Carbone. Krowswork Center for Video and Visionary Art, Oakland, CA

2015
Post-Min. The Little Gallery, University of Calgary, AB
Dept. of Art Faculty & Staff Exhibition. The Little Gallery, University of Calgary, AB

2014
Dept. of Art Faculty & Staff Exhibition. The Little Gallery, University of Calgary, AB
Post-Min. The Little Gallery, University of Calgary, AB

2013
Transmission (with William Downey). The Little Gallery, University of Calgary, AB
Beautiful Hybrid. The Little Gallery, University of Calgary, AB
Post-Min. The Little Gallery, University of Calgary, AB

2012
Moving Centre (with Isabel Porto Perrone). The Little Gallery, University of Calgary, AB

2011
Opposites Attract. Open Space Arts Society, Victoria, BC

2010
Lunar Effect. The Ministry of Casual Living, Victoria, BC

RESIDENCIES

2017
AWAKENING: Art and Earth-Based Spirituality. Artscape Gibraltar Point, Toronto Islands, ON

2016
Luminous Bodies. July 4-18, Artscape Gibraltar Point, Toronto Islands, ON

PUBLICATIONS

Art

2017
Four paintings. Word and Colour, Summer 2017. https://wordandcolour.com/ 

2016
“Birch Court (My heart grew a flower at your house).” Life as Ceremony Magazine, Spring/Summer 2016.
Eight paintings. Cordella Magazine, Issue 5, “Heal”.
http://www.cordella.org/#/chelsea-rushton/ 

2015
The Looking Glass, Hamish Hamilton's virtual gallery space:
www.hamishhamilton.ca/looking-glass/

Art Writing

Forthcoming
“Motherpeace Meets the Runway: Feminist Spirituality in High Fashion and Contemporary Culture.” Faith & Form.
“Meditating on Motherland: Creative Process as Spiritual Practice.”  Pulse: Anthology of Critical Texts. Calgary, Emmedia. 

2016
“Foreword.” Bridges: A Celebration of the 85th Anniversary of the Alberta Society of Artists. Calgary: ASA.

Creative Writing

2014
“the mountains, the sea.” Room Magazine, 37.4 Winter.

2011
sunmoon, a chapbook. Victoria, Oak Press.