Alumna Artist Offers ‘Habitual Curiosity’

Emerging artist and Westmont alumna Chelsea Roberts (’18), who delicately illustrates wildlife and flora with a gentle, compassionate reverence, opens a solo exhibition, Habitual Curiosity, in the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum’s downstairs gallery through June 20. 

Roberts, a scientific illustrator from Danville, conducts extensive research studying her subjects for hours before creating each piece. This forms a deep connection that translates into digital paintings that capture both the accurate details and the essence of the natural world.

“In my life, I have found that to be curious is to be present, and to have a desire to learn about the world around me on a daily basis,” Roberts says. “It is the opportunity to foster a bond with whatever I strive to understand, and for me that desire is overwhelmingly focused on nature. This series showcases my curiosity for the natural world and celebrates the variety of species and connections found both locally in Santa Barbara and across the globe.”

Visitors to Habitual Curiosity will encounter a range of subjects, from shorebirds that frequent Santa Barbara’s coastline, whose subtle differences in feather patterns and coloration reveal distinct personalities, to global flora and fauna rendered with vibrant color, experimental technique, and thoughtful composition.

At the January 15 opening reception, she was surrounded by a crowd of family and friends, including many who drove out from the Bay Area to celebrate her painstaking achievement. “The most memorable part for me was being able to tell the stories of these plants and animals with the viewers,” she says. “It was a night of joy and excitement as I got to explain what makes each of them so special. Everyone was full of kindness and curiosity, asking lots of questions about the subjects and my techniques in depicting them.”

While she works on creating a website to host her artwork, she has seen an uptick in support on her Instagram site @chelupaz.

The museum is free and open to the public weekdays 10 am – 4 pm and Saturdays 11 am – 5 pm; it’s closed on Sundays and college holidays. To learn more about the museum, upcoming museum events, or becoming a museum member visit: www.westmont.edu/museum.