Vale Celeste Chandler
With heavy hearts, we acknowledge the passing of a remarkable artist, educator, and treasured colleague, Celeste Chandler, who enriched our VCA community from 2009 to 2023. She was taken too soon.
By Associate Professor Simone Slee, Head of Visual Art, Victorian College of the Arts
Celeste was born in Hobart, Tasmania, in 1977. She earned her Bachelor in Fine Art (1998) and Masters in Fine Art (2003) at the University of Tasmania.
She was awarded a Melbourne Research Scholarship in 2009 to undertake a PhD titled The embarrassment of sincerity: The changing state of contemporary figurative painting, at the Victorian College of the Arts, completing it in 2014 under the supervision of Professor Su Baker and Professor Jon Cattapan.
Her practice as a painter exemplified her imaginative introspection and extraordinary painterly facility. Through her striking representational paintings and lightness of touch, Celeste delved into themes of human embodiment, empathy, and the delicate relationship between our internal and external worlds.
Celeste exhibited in over 35 group shows and held 13 solo exhibitions, most recently with 'All We Have Is Right Now' at Nicholas Thompson Gallery in 2022.
She was honoured with the Linden Art Prize Studio Prize (2015), The Sunshine Coast Art Prize (2013), the inaugural Windsor Art Award (2013), the R&M McGivern Prize for painting (2009) and was highly commended in the Portia Geach Prize (2013).
She twice received the Canadian Elizabeth Greenshields Scholarship (1998 & 2004), which allowed her to undertake a six-month residency in Paris at the Cite International des Arte in 1999, and was awarded the Martin Bequest Travelling Scholarship in 2003.
Her works are held in the public collections of the Queensland Art Gallery, the University of Queensland Art Museum, Redcliff City Gallery, Maroondah Art Gallery, and the Sunshine Coast Council.
Celeste spent many years as an educator at the VCA, first teaching in the Masters by Coursework program while a PhD student in 2010. It was clear to all that Celeste was a natural and generous mentor who revelled in sharing her research and practice.
In her most recent position as Coordinator of Art Breadth, she gave her all and passionately believed in its possibilities. For Celeste, Breadth was an opportunity to educate and share her love of contemporary art with students from various disciplines. She also recognised the significant contribution Breadth brought to the sustainability of our beloved art school, the VCA, and the Faculty.
Always envisioning new opportunities for growth, Celeste cared deeply about art, the excellence of art pedagogy, and, most importantly, the students and the team she collaborated with.
With her dedication, she reimagined teaching and assessment in Art Breadth and secured a pivotal University grant to transition an Art Breadth subject to asynchronous digital delivery during the pandemic.
Through all of this work and in every interaction, she radiated joy, a lightness of spirit, kindness, and care.
Fourteen months ago, Celeste stepped back from her role at VCA Art to spend quality time with her cherished family and to dedicate herself to her abiding love of painting. We were delighted that she accepted an Honorary Fellow role with VCA Art during that time.
In her last months, leaning into her profoundly difficult circumstances with lightness and grace, Celeste's clarity on what is important in life was truly humbling. Her insights serve as a reminder for us all.
Celeste's legacy remains in the works she created, the students she nurtured, and the community she touched.
Our thoughts are with Celeste's family, especially Andrew and her beloved Anouk.
Donations can be made to Peter McCallum Cancer Centre.