Chelsey Luster

Pronouns: she/they
Hometown: Baltimore, MD
Returning
Attended Camp: 2016, 2017, 2025

Chelsey Luster is excited to return to Camp Ballibay as an Artist-in-Residence. Previously, she served as the Dean of Girls and a Camp Counselor, where she taught drawing and painting. This summer, she will focus on creating a new series of paintings, drawings, and photography inspired by the warmth and community at Ballibay.

Professional Bio:
Chelsey Luster is a Philadelphia-based curator and visual artist from Baltimore, Maryland. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Tyler School of Art and Architecture. Chelsey’s relationships with artists are grounded in mutual care, long-term support, and respect for boundaries, helping to foster a more equitable and supportive art community. Her work has been featured in prominent institutions such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Michener Art Museum, and is included in collections like Penn Medicine. As the Exhibition Manager at Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, she oversees the exhibition program, manages the collection of founding artist Isaiah Zagar, and directs an international artist residency that highlights women working in contemporary folk art techniques. In her independent curatorial and artistic practice, Chelsey explores the complexities of safe spaces within Queer and Black culture. Through mixed-media paintings and immersive installations, she crafts narratives that grant agency to her subjects, drawing inspiration from interviews, photography, and lived experience. Her curatorial work is grounded in experimental presentation and diverse perspectives, reimagining the curator’s role as a collaborator, storyteller, and community-builder.