CELESTE CHANDLER 1977 – 2023

It is with great sadness that Nicholas Thompson Gallery marks the passing of Celeste Chandler.

In addition to being an exceptionally talented painter, Celeste was intelligent, humourous, generous and a delight to work with since joining the gallery in its first year. She was passionate about art, devoted to her family and inspiring in her battle with her illness. She will be greatly missed by so many.

Our thoughts are with Andy, Anouk and Celeste’s family.

Melbourne based, Tasmanian born painter Celeste Chandler completed a Masters degree in Fine Art at the University of Tasmania (2003) and a PhD at the Victorian College of the Arts (2014). She held solo exhibitions in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and been included in curated exhibitions throughout Australia. Celeste was awarded the 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).

Celeste was twice awarded the Canadian Elizabeth Greenshields Scholarship (1998 & 2004), allowing her to undertake a six-month residency in Paris at the Cite International des Arte in 1999. She was awarded a Martin Bequest Travelling Scholarship in 2003. Chandler was a finalist in the Ramsay Prize at the Art Gallery of South Australia (2017) and the Doug Moran Prize (2017).

Celeste was the recipient of an Australia Council Grant (2017) and an Australia Council Emerging Artist Grant (2004), an Australian Postgraduate Award (2001) and was awarded a Melbourne Research Scholarship (2009) to undertake her PhD at The Victorian College of The Arts. Chandler’s work is held in the collections of the Queensland Art Gallery, the University of Queensland Art Museum, Redcliff City Gallery, Maroondah Art Gallery and the Sunshine Coast Council.