Chelsea A. Benally

Born in 1992 in Crystal, New Mexico, Chelsea Benally earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with an emphasis in photography and painting. Their studio is in Albuquerque, New Mexico, continuing to explore the roles of women in contemporary culture. Benally serves as assistant director at Gallery Hózhó in Hotel Chaco.

Artist Statement:

I am inspired by everyday life experiences to express my portraits. I express their individual values and uniqueness by applying both photography and painting. Photographing a person is a very personal experience for the sitter, requiring that they are are vulnerable and exposed. Whilst photographing them, you begin to establish a relation and perception of and with that person(s). Within the elements of painting, I use color, texture, and brush techniques to communicate both realistic and abstractly a wide range of emotions.