STATEMENT
My practice explores how daily actions impact social fabric. The repetitive gestures of today’s digital culture--scrolling, typing, clicking--have drastically altered the way we interact collectively, intellectually and emotionally. To experience the motion of art, I blur the lines between paint and canvas, color and form. Twisted, knotted and stuffed ropes highlight the sublime tension between brush and canvas, at times violating the confines of the frame by bubbling over the two-dimensional surface. My textural language draws upon a lifetime of influences such as dance, fashion, textiles and color. These elements have become a constant source of inspiration for my handwoven canvases by catalyzing the emotional exploration of tangled compositions. Using unique perspectives, I invite the viewer to immerse themselves in the tactility of the human hand and spirit, with enough space to fill in and release their own emotions.
BIO
American artist Chellis Baird blurs the intersection of painting, sculpture and textiles. Baird explores the elements of painting by reconstructing handwoven canvases from a unique perspective. Her bespoke process begins with woven structures as her base. Each canvas starts with neutral toned materials that are then painted, dyed and sculpted into dimensional brushstrokes. She creates tangled compositions through a series of twists, knots, and upcycled textiles. Baird’s background in fashion allows her to dress the canvas with imagination. Not unlike a garment, she uses color to emphasize the authenticity and body of each piece.
Baird received her BFA in textiles from Rhode Island School of Design and studied studio art at the Art Students League in New York City. Baird’s first solo museum exhibition, TETHERED, was held at the Myrtle Beach Art Museum in South Carolina from September 7 - December 19, 2021. Most recently, the artist was awarded a 2022 fellowship at the National Arts Club.
Born in Spartanburg, SC, Baird now lives and works in New York City. She is represented by Slag & RX galleries in NY and Paris.
CV
Chellis Baird
Born: Spartanburg, SC, 1983
REPRESENTATION
Slag & RX Galleries in Paris & New York
EDUCATION
2017 Art Students League of New York, New York, NY, Mixed Media studies
2005 Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI, BFA Textiles
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022 The Touch of Red, National Arts Club, Curated by Jenny Mushkin Goldman, New York, NY
2021 Tethered, Myrtle Beach Art Museum, Myrtle Beach, SC
Illuminations, Spirited Away Boutique, New York, NY
2020 Sager Braudis Gallery, Columbia, MO
2019 - 2020 Meditative Motions, Narthex Gallery: Louise Nevelson Chapel Restoration Project, Curated by Heather Zises and Nicolene Strom-Jensen, Saint Peter’s Church, New York, NY
2018 Becoming Encounters, 5-50 Gallery, Long Island City, Queens, NY
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
Rule of Five, 5 person exhibition, Curated by Slag 7 RX Galleries, New York, NY
Seeing Red: Renoir to Warhol, Curated by Franklin Perrell and Alex Maccaro, Nassau County Museum of Art, Roslyn Harbor, NY
National Arts Club Artist Members Exhibition, New York, NY
City Arts 35th Annual Gala, New York, NY
Modern Muses, Curated by Rachel Cole Art Advisory, Park Hyatt Hotel, New York, NY
2023
Coming Close, Chellis Baird & Megan Dyer, Curated by Seph Rodney, SLAG & RX Gallery, New York, NY
Affiliation, Curated by JoAnne McFarlan, Sasha Chavchavadze, and Heather Topick, National Arts Club, New York, NY
Volta, Art Fair, Formah Gallery, New York, NY
Turkey-Syria Earthquake Relief Benefit + Fine Art Auction, Turkish Philanthropy Funds, hosted by NYC Culture Club, New York, NY
Rights & Empowerment Show, Juried panel, Benefit WREN, Internal Affairs Art Gallery, Spartanburg, SC
Reverberation, Chellis Baird & Jim D’Amato, Curated by Josh Campbell, Highline Nine Gallery, New York, NY
Winters Ball for Second Stage Theater, Auction, New York, NY
Sumter Collects III, Sumter County Gallery of Art, Sumter, SC
A Suitable Accomplishment, Trotter & Sholer, New York, NY
2022
Thriving, FORMah Gallery, New York, NY
Rejuvenation, Serhant Collaboration, Curated by Josh Campbell, New York, NY
Welcome Back, Curated by Clayton and Parker Calvert, NYC Culture Club: The Oculus, New York, NY
Tempus Fugit, Curated by Charles Moore, Latchkey Gallery, New York, NY
Life, Death, and Hereafter, Curated by Jenny Mushkin Goldman, Narthex Gallery: Louise Nevelson Chapel, New York, NY
NY Junior League Auction, Curated by Bridgette Fossil, New York, NY
2021
Wknd Nation, Fundraiser for Lung Force Cancer Research, Curated by Jenny Mushkin Goldman, New York, NY
Reasons, Curated by Josh Campbell, NYC Culture Club: The Oculus, New York, NY
Resurgence, Curated by Clayton Calvert, The Oculus, New York, NY
Talismans, Presented by Monica King Projects, Artsy
2020
Art Aspen 2020, Virtual Art Fair, Monica King Contemporary, New York, NY
Spring to Action: Benefit Exhibition to support Feed the Frontlines NYC, Monica King Contemporary, New York, NY
The Center Fold, Equity Gallery, Curated by Lexi Axon, Guy De Baere, Maria Duran Smapedro, Hayley Ferber, Mija Jung, Kelly Olshan, New York, NY
Light & Spirit, Church of Heavenly Rest Gallery, Curated by Jim DeWoody, New York, NY
2019
HUE, Studio 525 Gallery, Curated by Trotter & Sholer, New York, NY
These Times are Racing, Highline Nine Gallery, Curated by Arisohn & Murphy, New York, NY
GUT: Women in the Arts, Gut Boutique Gallery, Curated by Nelsena Burt-Spano, Brooklyn, NY
Twist & Twine Summer Exhibition, ChaShaMa Gallery, Curated by Paradice Palase, Long Island City, Queens, NY
Materials and Geometries, East End Culture Club Gallery, Curated by Clayton Calvert, South Hampton, NY
Tenet Shop, Tenet Gallery Shop, Curated by Clayton Calvert, East Hampton, NY
Paper, Silvermine Arts Center, Curated by Jennifer Farrell, New Canaan, CT
Twisting Fibers: An Art for All Reasons Exhibition, Art League Rhode Island, Curated by Ellen Matesanz, Pawtucket, RI
2018
Green, Webster Arts Gallery, Juried Exhibition, Saint Louis, MO
Temporal Escape: Women of Abstraction, 326 Gallery, Curated by Megan Green & Jenny Mushkin Goldman, New York, NY
29th Annual International Juried Exhibition, Viridian Artists Gallery, Juried by Johanna Burton, New York, NY
Evening Red, Lilac Preservation: Curated by MW Projects, Pier 25, New York, NY
Light, Church of Heavenly Rest Gallery, New York, NY
Reis Studios Experimental Space, LIC, NY, Curated by Julian Calderon, Long Island City, Queens, NY
Abstraction at Large, Site Brooklyn Gallery, Juried by Eleanor Heartney of Art in America, Brooklyn, NY
Between the Seam, Woman’s Made Gallery, Juried by Nnenna Okore, Chicago, IL
Pop-Up On & Off the Wall, First Street Gallery, Juried by Kathleen Bennett Bastis, New York, NY
2017 - 2018
Small Works, Citi De Ford Gallery, Curated by Teri Lehner, Long Island City, Queens, NY
2017
Fear, Plaxall Gallery, Juried Exhibition, Long Island City, Queens, NY
Making Connections, Plaxall Gallery, Juried Exhibition, Long Island City, Queens, NY
Google Manhattan, Curated by Megan Green, New York, NY
Conference Board, British Embassy, Exhibition Outreach Program with the Art Students League, New York, NY
Wrath of Rhythm, Juried Exhibition by Con Artist Collective, New York, NY
2016
Mixed Media Group Show, Art Students League Gallery, Curated by Deborah Winiarski, New York, NY
2005 Fashion & Textiles, Woods Geary Gallery, Providence, RI
COLLABORATIONS
2023
From The Eyes of Her, Curated by Chellis Baird, NYC Culture Club & Port Authority of NY, NJ, New York, NY
2022
New York Textile Month VII: Artist Chellis Baird Studio Tour, September 23, 2022, Long Island City, NY
Rx Room, Installation at Rx Room, Curated by Sabrina Wirth, Wirth Galerie, New York, NY
Brooklyn Heights Designer Showcase, Curated by Tara McCauley, Brooklyn, NY
The National Arts Club Podcast: The Arts in Conversation, Moderated by Mitch Case, New York, NY
Flirt, Installation at Zero Bond, Curated by Josh Campbell with Apostrophe Gallery, New York, NY
2021
Revitalization, Curator with Clayton Calvert and The Nevelson Legacy Council, New York, NY
2020
Eyespot, Collaboration with choreographer Abdul Latif, New York Live Arts, New York, NY
2019
Meditative Motions, Opening reception: Dance Collaboration choreographer Roberto Lara, Saint Peter’s Church, New York, NY
Featured artist for Carla van de Puttelaar book project: Women in the Arts, Amsterdam, NL
Guest Juror for Conception Arts Pop Up Exhibition for emerging artists, New York, NY
2018
Becoming Encounters, Digital Light Installation with new media artist Alida Sun, 5-50 Gallery, Long Island City, Queens, NY
2017
500th Reformation of Lutheran Church, Collaboration choreographer Roberto Lara, St Peter’s Church, New York, NY
SELECTED PRESS
Bold Journey, Interview feature, July, 2024
Impulse Magazine, Interview by Christina Elia, July, 2024
CultBytes, Review for From the Eyes of her, by Anna Mikaela Ekstrand, March, 2024
Canvas Rebel, Interview with Chellis Baird, by Michael Rivera, January, 2024
Eazel Magazine: Inside the Studio, A Virtual Tour of Chellis Baird’s Studio in LIC, NY, May, 2023
The New York Times, “Clothes for People who Love Books",” February, 2023
TheArtGuide, “Reverberation: What to see this week at High Line Nine Galleries”, January, 2023
Forbes, “What to pack for Miami Art Basel”, by Alexandra Bregman, December, 2022
Galerie Magazine, “The Artful Life: 6 Things Galerie Editors Love this Week”, by Galerie Editors, July, 2022
Gio Journal, “Lady in Red! Emerging Contemporary Artist Chellis Baird is One to Put on your Radar”, April, 2022
Art Spiel, “Chellis Baird Redefining Sculpture” by Alexandra Israel, April, 2022
WhiteHot Magazine, “Chellis Baird: The Touch of Red” by Vittoria Benzine, April 2022
Art Net, Editors Picks (#6) “Chellis Baird: Touch of Red” by Sarah Cascone, April, 2022
Portray Magazine, “Painting the Town Red” by Heather Zises, March 2022
Luxe Interiors Magazine, “Delicate Dance” by Hilary Oswald, November / December Issue, 2021
Carolina arts, “Burroughs-Chapin Art Museum in Myrtle Beach, SC, Features Works by Chellis Baird”, October, 2021
Grand Strand Magazine, “Candescent”, October, 2021
Art Net, “Top 11 (#9) Must-see exhibition from editors picks of Resurgence Exhibition at NYC Culture Club”, July 2021
Yimby, “Resurgence Art Exhibit Opens At The World Trade Center’s Oculus In Financial District, Manhattan”, June 2021
The Coveteur, “In the Studio with Chellis Baird” by Tim Latterner, October 2020
Architectural Digest, “Monica King Gallery Spring to Action Benefit”, April 2020
LINEA, “Meditative Motions: Chellis Baird found a kindred spirit in the great iconoclastic sculptor Louise Nevelson.”, March 2020 PreGame Magazine, “Featured Artist: Chellis Baird”, January 2020
CultBytes Review,“A Woven Life” by Alexandra Bregman for Solo Exhibition at the Nevelson Chapel, November 2019
Architectural Digest, “Must-see exhibit for Solo Exhibition at the Nevelson Chapel”, October 2019
Art Net, “Top 19 (#10) Must-see exhibition from editors picks of Solo Exhibition at Nevelson Chapel”, November 2019
WhiteHot Magazine, “Interview: Jenna Ferrey and Chellis Baird”, December, 2019
ArtBinder, “Artist Spotlight Interview: Chellis Baird Solo Exhibition at the Nevelson Chapel”, November 2019
Art News, “Sammy’s Beach Reunion with the Elaine De Kooning House”, June 2019
Arch Digest, “An Art Lover’s Guide to the Hamptons This Summer: East End Culture Club", June 2019
Art Gallery America, “Interview with Chellis Baird”, November 2019
Save the Loom, “Featured Artist”, August 2019
Art Net News, "Editors Picks", August 2019
At Beach Magazine, “East End Culture Materials and Geometrics Opening”, June 2019
Vast and Rook, “Interview for Becoming Encounters Exhibition”, November 2018
Ante Magazine, “Temporal Escape: 326 Gallery Empowers the Feminine in Contemporary Art by Audra Lambert”, August 2018 Long Island City Arts Commission, “Featured Artist / Day of an Artist”, June 2017
Art Blog, “Art Ruby featured artist for show at Google by Olga Rei”, June 2017
LINEA, “Catalogue feature for painting: Blind”, January 2017
LINEA, “Catalogue feature for painting: Quilt”, January 2016
Nordstrom Anniversary Book, “Spring Dresses”, May 2014
Oprah Magazine, “Ralph Lauren Dress Design”, December 2010
Elle Magazine, “Featured designer on textile designs like Jackson Pollock by Jenny Feldman”, February 2006
Womens Wear Daily, “Color report from Premiere Vision by Daniela Gilbert”, October 2006
The New York Times “Designing as Fast as they Can, by Cathy Horyn”, September 2005
WWD, “Featured inspiration collage for Spring 2006 Tuleh Collection”, September 2005
ARTIST TALKS AND WORKSHOPS
2021
Myrtle Beach Art Museum Textile Workshop, Upcoming
2020
Society of Domestic Museology: Artist Talk led by Heather Topcik, Saint Peter’s Church, New York, NY
Meditative Motions: Curatorial talk moderated by Heather Zises, Saint Peter’s Church, New York, NY
2018
Artist Panel Discussion moderated by Johanna Burton, Viridian Artists Gallery, New York, NY
2017
Artist talk led by Megan Green, Google Headquarters, New York, NY
AWARDS
2022-2023 Artist Fellow for the National Arts Club of New York City for Visual Arts
2022 Artist in Residence at Zero Bond, curated by Apostrophe Gallery in New York City for Flirt Series
2017 Red Dot Winner for the Concours Del Rosario at Art Students League of New York for painting
2017 Red Dot Winner for the Concours Winiarski at Art Students League of New York for painting
2004 Echo Design Scholarship Recipient
2003 Textron Scholarship Recipient
2001-2003 RISD Scholar
