ROLES
nature lover & animal whisperer & placekeeper & arts-based research creator & grassroots organizer & mental health advocate & participatory artist & skill sharer & community member & nonprofit administrator & codesign collaborator & editorial illustrator & artist mentor & studio visitor & design instructor & artist assistant & visual art curator & gallery installer & cultural worker & pigment preparer & fibre crafter & sewist & quilter & mender & wearables maker & guerrilla gardener & seed saver & regenerative farmer & botanical dyer & surface pattern designer & printer & book artist & charrette convener & do-it-together facilitator & cyclist & climate organizer & justice warrior & song weaver & event producer & moderator & storyteller & editor & zinester & director-at-large & project steward & creative manager & community connector & grant assessor & panelist & choral vocalist & public speaker & columnist & stylist & educator & cetera.
Biography
Chelsea Boos has been nurturing plants with her mom, Sandra, since she was just a little sprout. Her climate-adapted, open-pollinated, and organically-cultivated plants are deeply rooted in place as a lifelong resident of amiskwaciy. She thrives with a community of neighbours and critters who spread good vibes on the northern prairie Aspen parkland at this nook of the kisiskâciwani-sîpiy or omaka-ty river.
Chelsea creates community art and design. She helped on three Edmonton Urban Design Award projects: Colour Alley (2011), Dirt City|Dream City (2013) and LIVINGbridge (2013). As Coordinator of the Transitory Public Art Program at Edmonton Arts Council (2011–2012), she ran Colour Alley and Dirt City|Dream City. LIVINGbridge converted a disused CN Rail bridge into a volunteer-run edible landscape of native perennials from 2013 until the owner removed it in 2018.
From 2015 to 2019, Chelsea was McLuhan House Community Programmer and Project Manager at Arts Habitat Edmonton, running the Centre for Art and Ideas and the Artist Studio Residency Program. She launched Edmonton SpaceFinder, mapped local creative spaces, collected data for three years, and co-designed the user interface with KOBOT.
Her lens-based work has appeared in national magazines BlackFlash, Spacing, SNAPline, and Display: Canadian Design. From 2010–2014 she covered the urban landscape and visual culture in a column called Back Words for the local alternative paper Vue Weekly, and also worked in graphic production, styling, and cover design.
Chelsea creates safer spaces where artists can take risks and learn by doing. She ran the Spazio Performativo gallery as Visual Art Outreach Coordinator for Mile Zero Dance (2015–2016) and organized Edmonton’s Park(ing) Day (2014–2017).
She was recognized as one of BLOUIN ARTINFO Canada's 30 Under 30 and Avenue Magazine's 2014 Top 40 Under 40.
Chelsea graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Design. Her education also includes Streetworks Naloxone training, First Aid and CPR, German Bilingual Elementary/Secondary schooling, and 2 years of French-Language Instruction at the Commission Scolaire de Montréal.
From May 2013 to May 2016, Chelsea ran The Drawing Room Studios, providing affordable workspace for artists and designers. As gallery director and coworking manager, she made it an accessible community hub. She curated the storefront gallery, The Drawing Room Salon, organizing monthly shows by emerging artists and hosting groups, talks, pop-up shops, film screenings, DIY workshops, school tours, and events. The space supported personal growth and creative collaboration across disciplines.