Kelsea Chatburn’s art practice delves into the emotional and cultural connections we have to places and objects that are both familiar and foreign. Through her depictions of streetscapes and food still lifes, she explores the idea that certain spaces—whether visited, settled in, or remembered—hold deep human emotions and memories. Her work navigates the interplay of individual and collective identities, reflecting broader themes of displacement, belonging, and the shared experiences of migration.

Working primarily with gouache and watercolor on paper, Chatburn’s connection to her subjects is deeply personal. She often draws from her Korean diaspora heritage or focuses on physical spaces that have had a profound impact on her throughout her life. This grounding in both personal memory and cultural exploration allows her to capture the complexity of how we relate to the environments around us. Her art reflects not only the external world but the internal, emotional landscapes we carry with us.

Chatburn’s work has been featured in prominent venues such as the Art Gallery of Ontario and Gladstone House in Toronto. In 2024, she held her first solo exhibition with the AGO Shop Rental and Sale Program, showcasing her series of Asian Streetscapes at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Through her art, Chatburn continues to weave together personal narrative and universal themes, inviting viewers to reflect on how places and objects shape our identities, memories, and connections to the world around us.