SOLO EXHIBITION
SOLO EXHIBITION
SOLO EXHIBITION
The World's Leading Contemporary Fine Art Gallery
_PNG.png){kind=small}
The World's Leading Contemporary Fine Art Gallery
Chelsea
DeVries
USA
_p.png)
“They tell you about the dangers of riptide but no one warns you that you could be swept down into the riptide of who someone else is.”
Chelsea DeVries created these art pieces in order to connect deeper to her readers and readership as a free-verse poet and author of Sticks & Stones: Full Story Edition. This poetry and the artwork were created in isolation following leaving a toxic work environment after staying there ten months, where she also fell in love with a young man who worked there and never got the chance to tell him but started writing poetry to cope with the abuse she endured while working there.
This is inspired by seeing a picture of myself in a red dress but is a poem that showcases what being a strong women really means
Sticks & Stones: Full Story edition and the simultaneous artwork used to promote and enhance the story were done completely digitally, and the entire manuscript of Sticks & Stones was done in her phone’s notes app.
A poem where I expand on the universal truth that if you love someone, you should let them be happy even if it's not with you. Writing this poem helped me accept this truth.
Following publishing the first version of Sticks & Stones, DeVries found out that she was on the autistic spectrum and wanted to share that with her readers to fully help create more of a connection, and to begin advocating for not only mental health in the workplace but also educating people about autism and helping autistic people feel seen and heard in the workplace.
“These art pieces were done to illustrate the imagery used to create poetry and to showcase the power of poetry.”
Sticks & Stones was written in isolation during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. The artist felt she had no one to talk to regarding what happened to her at the toxic workplace and the feelings she still had for that young man so she decided to share them through poetry and prose.
“Through poetry, the reader finds a voice of strength and the rebuilding of one's heart a home with all the sticks and stones thrown upon it.”
The entire process of deciding to republish the collection occurred after realizing the book itself didn’t have a marketable look or feel to it, and that the artist kept writing poetry that basically bled out of her. The first part was to edit the manuscript, and since her poetry was very raw and cathartic, she only had the middle prose piece edited to ensure that it flowed but still stayed true to her voice and writing style.
A poem I wrote about figuring out I suffer with depression. This stanza is a strong statement declaring whatever that comes against me will not be the end of me. I will keep fighting.
“In Sticks and Stones, DeVries paints a poetic picture of rising above toxicity, love found and love lost, and delves into what it means to find strength in the human spirit.”
A poem I wrote about a love relationship that was entirely one-sided and how it feels when you realize that. This is my most popular and famous stanza to date.
Following that, she hired someone to format the book for publication and also create a cover that pulled the reader in but also felt welcoming and accepting. The cover artist quickly realized that purple is the artist’s creative power color and used that to create the cover with two miniature art pieces on the cover that say: “Don’t drown in your pain…rise above it.”
Inspired by my love of butterflies, this poem is about how you begin to see life from a fresh perspective after you are further down on your healing journey and how beautiful it feels and looks.
From here the book was ready for publication after being copyrighted and given an ISBN number, so the artist chose to launch the book on 2.22.22 to pull on the notion of the spiritual significance of the day, despite the book being published as of December 22, 2021. 2.22.22 is a number that represents twin flame union and she hoped that would be what would happen for her and the muse of her poetry collection, but that number sequence also is said to create superspeed for any manifestations surrounding your career and lifepath.
this line is from the poetic prose piece in the center of my collection detailing the story of my experience working in a toxic work environment and falling in love at the same time.
The launch led to the creation of the art to see what the reaction was, and it was met with an awe, wonder, and support. Now that the book has been out in the world for six months, the artist plans to create more artwork for the collection. Newly expanded with more full color photos, 41 new poems, and a rewrite of Drowning in An Ocean of No Tomorrows, DeVries shows a full poetic picture of turning pain into poetry in order so you can rise above whatever is pulling you under.
A poem about the many colors of love, and how when you have an all consuming love they tell you to water it down but i say go big or go home.
“When not writing she runs and does PR for authors and musicians with her bookish brand The Smart Cookie Philes.”
a mermaid inspired piece written in response to finding out i lived half of my life not knowing i was autistic and inspired by a real place in Florida called Weeki Wachee Springs where they have live mermaids.
Chelsea DeVries wanted to be a writer at the age of 7. Her first publishing credit came at the age of 14 with a poem in a student anthology. She then wrote nonstop while doing IB classes in high school. She published two YA novels while still in high school which after over 10 years she rewrote as a NA romance that she looks to put out as her next publication.
I was raised Catholic growing up but have always been a spiritual person believing that God is there for me when i feel like i am absolutely alone and have no one else to turn to.
Though she’s Florida born and raised, she has New Jersey in her veins. She currently lives in Port Richey, FL with her squad of two dogs. You can follow her on Instagram and Facebook at @chelsealynnpoetry, and her squad at @dasquad26. In October 2020, DeVries was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome which is a form of Autism.
As a child, i struggled making friends until i learned to read and then the characters in them became my friends so i turned to books. In the same way that voracious readers can get papercuts while reading, my experience in love being a victim of sexual assualt has left me with nothing but brokenhearted and empty, almost believing love was as fictional as the friends i made in my youth.