Cheselyn Amato is an interdisciplinary visual artist, spoken text & sound performer, and space/place designer and maker working across the disciplines – 2D, 3D and 4D – with an emphasis on enacting circumstances for the experience of sublimity, awe, wonder and delight via the orchestration of visual props and cues as well as sound and colored light phenomena along with interdisciplinary performance. Cheselyn’s work reflects and chronicles her lifelong spiritual, aesthetic and humanitarian journey. Cheselyn has been teaching art students for decades and has recently added spiritual care and bereavement counseling to her toolkit as light worker and doula for personal, social, societal and global transformation and for the triumph of justice, love, beauty and abundance.
Selected Solo and Group Exhibitions
2024
Radiant Fields Series, Post Montgomery Center, San Francisco, SLATE Art Consulting, Oakland, CA
Illuminating Perspectives: Exploring Light in Innovative Art, Sebastopol Center for the Arts, CA
Residency, Foundation for Spirituality and the Arts, Charleston, SC, 9.16.2024-10.26.2024
2023
The Space Between, curated by Karen Gutfreund, ARC Gallery, San Francisco
Genesis: The Beginning of Creativity, Curators: Richard McBee, Joel Silverstein and Goldie Gross, a three-venue exhibition: the Interchurch Center, Riverside Church and Jewish Theological Seminary, NYC
Ingenium Creatives, Think Tank Symposium, organized by Cathy Allen and Suzie Khalil, Las Vegas, NV
Radical Radiance, Solo Exhibition, Founders’ Gallery, Art Works Downtown, San Rafael, CA
Marin Open Studios Show, Sausalito Center for the Arts, Sausalito, CA
Tenth Anniversary Show, Verge Center for the Arts, Sacramento, CA
Altered Realities, MarinMOCA, curated by Chester Arnold, Novato, CA
Ingenium Creatives: Symposium Think Tank, Las Vegas, NV, organized by Cathy Allen and Suzie Khalil
Genesis: The Beginning of Creativity, Curators: Richard McBee, Joel Silverstein and Goldie Gross, Interfaith Church Center, NYC
2022
JADA Paris / JADA Miami, Online Gallery in conjunction with live exhibition events in both locations
Artists in the Community, Chochmat Halev Art Gallery, Berkeley, CA
Conney Project Online Exhibition in conjunction with the 2022 Conney Conference, Madison, Wisconsin
2021
#TakeMeHome, an exhibition included in the 2021 Jerusalem Biennale: Four Cubits
Hanukkah Lamp, (in honor of Susan L. Braunstein, curator Emeritus), acquired by the the Jewish Museum, NYC
Welcome Lantern, designed and constructed for the Chochmat Halev Community: Home for the Jewish Heart, Berkeley, CA
2020
JADA In Paris, Panel Discussion: The Death of Irony and the Birth of New Sincerity, October 24, 2020
Creativity in an Uncertain Time, JAS Open Studios Session presentation, October 13, 2020
Sacramento Open Studios 2020 Online Verge Center for the Arts, Sacramento, CA
Cheselyn Amato/Cherilyn Naughton Collaborate, Verge Center for the Arts, Sac, CA (postponed)
Quantum Illuminations, MAK Design Studio, Davis, CA (postponed)
2019
Contingent Upon, Ridley Gallery, Sierra College, Rocklin, CA
2018
Big Issues: Time’s Up, JayJay Gallery, Sacramento, CA
Visions of the Chevra Kadisha, Chochmat Halev, Berkeley, CA
2017
The Golem Show, Brooklyn Jewish Art Gallery/CHL, Brooklyn, NY
The Speak Listen Milagros Project, organized by Roma Devanbu, AXIS Main Gallery, Sacramento, CA
Through the Lens of The Cured Romantic’s Telescope to Heaven, AXIS East Gallery, Sacramento, CA
Love Life Chaya Chesed Codex: A Mini-Retrospective 1987-2017, AXIS Main Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2016
All The Love, AXIS East Gallery, Sacramento, CA
Sacramento Open Studios, Verge Center for the Arts, Sacramento, CA
Flat File Show, AXIS East Gallery, Sacramento, CA
Uncontrollable Beauty|An Odyssey|Everything We Need Is Always With Us, AXIS Main Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2015
The Art Auction, benefitting Verge Center for the Arts, Sacramento, CA
The Jerusalem Biennale: Women of the Book Project, International Women’s Visual Torah, First Station Gallery, Jerusalem, Israel
The Preview Show, Sacramento Open Studios, Verge Center for the Arts, Sacramento, CA
Flat File Show, East Gallery, AXIS Gallery, Sacramento, CA
Swag with Love, AXIS East Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2013
The Pink Show, Contemporary Center for the Arts, Sacramento, CA
(Extra)ordinary Evidence, Chochmat Halev Gallery, Berkeley, CA
Visual Discourses on the Abrahamic Religions, Trio Interfaith Project, Islamic Cultural Center, Oakland, CA
2012
Flatlanders on the Slant, Nelson Gallery, UC Davis, CA
The End, Tangent Gallery, Sacramento, CA
Diverse Visions of Harmony, Islamic Cultural Center, Oakland, CA
2011
Women of the Book, International Visual Torah Project, currently online
Discourses in Color, Geometry, Swags & Swoons, Gallery A, Sierra College, Rocklin, CA
Sanctuaries in Time, JWAN, Kraft Center, Columbia University, NYC
2010
Dura Europos Project, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA
Reinventing Ritual, The Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco, CA (travel from the JM, NYC)
The Fear Show, Tangent Gallery, Sacramento, CA
Generation D: Identities, Flomenhaft Gallery, NYC, 12/14/2010
Seduced by the Sacred. JCC/Charter Oak, Hartford, CT
Emanating Stars, Friedman Gala Tribute Event, Sacramento, CA
Group Show, Rockridge Library, Oakland, CA
Liberation Garden: Healing and Redemption After Slavery, Afikomen Judaica, Berkeley, CA
2009
Reinventing Ritual, The Jewish Museum, NY, NY
What Does It Say To You?, Spertus Museum, Chicago, IL
Faculty Exhibition, American River College, Sacramento, CA
Faculty Exhibition, Sierra College, Rocklin, CA
Old Story New Work: 80 Artists at the Passover Table, The Dorothy Saxe Invitational, The Contemporary Jewish Museum (CJM), San Francisco, CA
2008
Sierra College Faculty Show, Union Hall Gallery, Sacramento, CA
Flatlanders: Regional Roundup II, Nelson Gallery, UC Davis, Summer 2008
American River College Faculty Show, Union Hall, Sacramento, CA
2007-08
The New Authentics, Spertus Museum, Chicago, IL
2006
Three Artists from Chicago, Studio 18 Gallery, New York, NY
Vulnerability in the Presence of Love is Heaven, interactive performance, Evanston, IL
2005
The Hidden Garden, The Gershman JCC Y, Philadelphia, PA, curated by Miriam Seidel
2004
The Wild and The Tame & The Gestation of Mature Love, Pierro Gallery, South Orange, NJ
Scanners, Flatfile Gallery, Chicago, IL
Ner Tamid, Curators’ Choice, The Dorothy Saxe Invitational, Spertus Museum of Judaica, Chicago, IL
2003
Apparitions in the Backyard, Flatfile Contemporary Gallery, Chicago, IL
Fotowerks, Flatfile Photography, Chicago, IL
Anniversary Show, Unit B Gallery, Chicago, IL
2002
The Manna Redemption, Faculty Sabbatical Exhibition, Betty Rymer Gallery, SAIC, IL
Behold Your Treasure, Transmit its Beauty, interactive performance ritual, Evanston, IL
Piece Process, ARC Gallery, Chicago, IL
I Love American, Unit B Gallery, Chicago, IL
In Perpetuity, Studio 18 Gallery, New York, New York
2001
Behold Shekinah: Her Indwelling Presence Amongst Us, interactive performance, Evanston, IL
Vocalizing the Song of Shekinah: Improvisational Prayer, performance, Studio Pardes, Oak Park
Visualizing The Tree of Life, interactive performance ritual, Studio Pardes, Oak Park, IL
Honoring Shekinah: Jewish Feminine Voices, Pardes Studio, Oak Park, IL
2000
Cleaning House, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL
1998
Domestic Taboo, Suburban Fine Arts Center, Highland Park, IL
1996
A Temple in Honor of Life Lived Everyday-An Unfinished Song of Love, The Chicago Cultural Center
The Tikkun Series: Reparation and Redemption, ARC Gallery, Chicago, IL
Above and Below: The Human Heavenly Body, Indiana University, Northwest, Gary, IN
Group Exhibition, R.H. Love Galleries, Chicago, IL
Why Is This Night Different…?, DePaul University Gallery, Chicago, IL
Spoken Text/Poetry Performances
“Poetry Halev (of the Heart),” Chochmat Halev, Berkeley, CA 1.5.2024
“I Am,” an interdisciplinary performance in conjunction with solo exhibition, The Love Life Chaya Chesed Codex: A Mini-Retrospective 1978-2017, AXIS Gallery, Sacramento, CA, 2017
“Ballad of Uncontrollable Beauty,” an interdisciplinary performance in conjunction with solo exhibition, Uncontrollable Beauty | An Odyssey | Everything We Need Is Always With Us, AXIS Gallery, Sacramento, CA, 2016
“Swooning,” an interdisciplinary performance in conjunction with solo exhibition, Swag with Love, AXIS Gallery, Sacramento, CA, 2015
“Nitzavim Drash,” Jerusalem Biennale, First Station Gallery, Jerusalem, Israel, 2015
Stay Amazed, poetry book release, JCC, Berkeley, CA, 2014
Poetry Reading, Liz Filmer Gallery, Berkeley, CA, 2014
The Huddle, interdisciplinary interactive performance, Berkeley, CA, 2013
Remembering Who I Am, Sierra College, Rocklin, CA, May 2010
Ah Ha Yah, Afikomen Judaica, Berkeley, CA, June 6, 2010
Ah Ha, Beamer Street Studio, Woodland, CA, 2008
Dollar Collar, Studio 18 Gallery, NYC, 2005
The Wild and the Tame, spoken text performance, Pierro Gallery, South Orange, NJ, 2004
Memberships and Affiliations
MarinMOCA, Artist Member, Novato, CA, 2022-present
Art Works Downtown, Artist Member, San Rafael, CA, 2023-continuing
Marin Open Studios (MOS), 2023-continuing
Parliament of the World’s Religions, 2023-continuing
Women of the Book International Visual Torah Project (WOB), https://www.womenofthebook.org/
Jewish Art Salon (JAS), htttps://www.jewishartsalon.org/
AXIS Gallery Collaborative, Sacramento, CA, 2015-2018
Verge Center for the Arts, Sacramento, CA, 2015-2018
Panels and Lectures
Artist Talk, AXIS Gallery, Sacramento, CA, 2015, 2016, 2017
Artist Talk, First Station, Jerusalem, Israel, 2015
Artist Talk, Chochmat Halev Gallery, 2013
Lecturer, Reflections on Identity, Cross-Cultural/Diversity Series, Sierra College, 2011
Artist Lecture, Afikomen Judaica, Berkeley, CA 2010
Visiting Artist, Columbia College, 2006, 2005, 2004
Panelist, Contemporary Art and Kabbalah, Gershman JCC, Philadelphia, 2005
Panelist, Women’s History Month: Exploring Gender, SAIC, 2001.
Lecturer, Contemporary Art and Judaism, Kallah Convention, U of Oregon, Corvallis, 1999.
Residencies
Ragdale Foundation, Lake Forest, IL, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999
Present Company, Amherst College, Amherst, MA, 2000
Roger Brown Studio and George Veronda Pavilion, New Buffalo, MI, 1999
Grants
Faculty Sabbatical Leave, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Fall 2001
Faculty Enrichment Grant, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 2001, 1997, 1995
Illinois Arts Special Assistance Grant, Illinois Arts Council, Chicago, 1996
Community Arts Assistance Program Grant, Chicago, 1995
Books, Reviews, Journals, Catalogs, and Cover Art
Our Fractured World, edited by R. Debra Smith, 2023
The Space Between, curated and edited by Karen Gutfreund, ARC Gallery, SF, 2023
Genesis: The Beginning of Creativity, catalogue, edited by Goldie Gross, 2023
Shoshana Gugenheim, Women of the Book, ongoing project, trade book anticipated in late 2019
Soltes, Tradition and Transformation, Three Millennia of Jewish Art and Architecture, 2016
Rami Ozeri, The Jerusalem Biennale 2015
Elana Maryles Sztokman, The Men’s Section, Brandeis University Press, 2011, cover art
Sanctuaries in Time, exhibition catalog, 2011
The Dura Europos Project: An Ancient Site Revisited, exhibition catalog, 2010
Seduced by the Sacred: Forging A New Jewish Art, exhibition catalog, 2010
Promised Lands: New Jewish American Fiction on Longing and Belonging, Edited by Derek Rubin, Brandeis University Press, 2010, cover art
500 Judaica, Lark Books, 2010
Richard McBee, Reinventing Ritual, The Jewish Press, 10/7/2009
Daniel Belasco, Reinventing Ritual, Yale University Press, 2009
New Works/Old Story: 80 Artists at the Passover Table, The Dorothy Saxe Invitational, organized by the Contemporary Jewish Museum, SF, 2009
Flatlanders 2: Regional Roundup, UC Davis, The Richard L. Nelson Gallery, 2008
Diane Chin Lui, Dreamers and their Visions, The Davis Enterprise, August 11, 2008, A9
Sharon Cohen, The Arts: A Museum of Great Reflection, Hadassah Magazine, April 2008
Menachem Wecker, Post-Jewish Painting and Its Discontents, The Jewish Press, Jan. 23, 2008
Gloria Orenstein, Jewish Contemporary Women Artists, Nashim, Fall, Number 14, 2007
Alan Artner, New exhibit gives modern focus to Spertus tradition, Chicago Tribune, Dec. 5, 2007
Blair Kamin, Blades of Glass, Chicago Tribune, Arts and Entertainment, November 25, 2007
Kevin Nance, The 2007 Fall Preview: Visual Arts, Chicago Sun-Times, Sunday, Sept. 16, 2007
Staci Boris, New Authentics, catalog published in association with exhibition, 2007
Leslie Kaufman, On the Metaphysical in Art, Inside Magazine, Winter 2005, pp.50-53.
Harriet Goodheart, The True Mysteries, Not Celebrities, of Kabbalah, The Jewish Exponent,Vol. 219/No.13, 12/22/05
Miriam Seidel, The Hidden Garden: Three Artists Explore Kabbalah, exhibition catalog, 2005
Gloria Orenstein, Contemporary Jewish Women Artists Visualize the Invisible, FEMSPEC, 2005
Dan Bischoff, The Star Ledger, October 1, 2004, p. 52.
NEWS-RECORD of South Orange and Maplewood, NJ, September 9, 2004, p. 3.
Tina Wasserman, Dialogue, Arts in the Midwest, Sept/Oct 1996
James Yood, New Art Examiner, 23, 10 (Summer 1996), pp. 41-42.
Lisa Stein, New City, May 16-22, 1996, p. 22.
Lori Gray, The Chicago Tribune, February 24, 1995
Contemporary Art Workshop 1949-1989, designed and written by Alex Nelson, Chicago, IL
Garrett Holg, Departures from Architecture, New Art Examiner, 16,10 (June, 1989), pp. 45-46.
Cara Glatt, Leopold Bloom ate with relish…,Hyde Park Herald, 3/15/89, pp. 10, 20.
Michael Bonesteel, Pioneer Press, Evanston, IL, 3/19/89
Larry Lundy, Interiors, New Art Examiner, 15,4, (December, 1987), pp. 48-49
Collections
- The Jewish Museum, NYC
- The Spertus Museum, Chicago
- Numerous private collections
Education
- Master of Theological Studies in Spirituality, Art, Healthcare, Justice and Social Transformation, Pacific School of Religion/Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, CA, 2019
- Clinical Pastoral Education: Spiritual Care for Health Care, UC Davis and UCSF Medical Centers, 2016-2018
- MFA, Painting & Drawing and New Genres, Tyler School of Art of Temple University, Elkins Park, PA, 1984
- BA, Visual Art, emphasis Painting & Drawing, Brown University with classes at RISD, Providence, RI, 1980
- Junior Year Abroad, Tyler School of Art in Rome, Italy, 1978-79
Teaching History Summary
Sept 2004-May 2019
Visual Art Faculty – Art schools, four-year univ/colleges, and CA community colleges
Jan 1985-May 2004
Adjunct Associate Professor, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, IL
Current Employment and Recent Education
April 2021-Present
Spiritual Support Counselor/Interfaith Chaplain, By The Bay Health, Larkspur, CA