Chelle Destefano
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  • Home
  • About Chelle
  • Artworks / Projects
    • Drawing
    • Paintings
    • Works on paper
    • Multidisciplinary Artforms Installation and Performances
    • Sculpture
    • public art
    • photography
  • Exhibitions
  • C.V.
  • News
    • Blog
    • Works in Progress
  • Contact
  • media reviews
Multidisciplinary artist Melbourne, Australia
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Chelle Destefano is a multi-medium and multi-disciplinary Deaf woman artist working in performance art, textiles, drawing, painting, sculpture, installation and mixed media
Chelle Destefano - Artist CV 

Studies
2020 - 2021    Masters of Contemporary Art, Victorian College of Arts, University of Melbourne, Melbourne
2008 - 2009    Certificate IV in Screen and Animation, Hamilton College, Adelaide, SA
2001 - 2006    Bachelor of Visual Arts and Applied Design – O’Halloran Hill TAFE SA Campus, Adelaide, SA
 
Awards/Scholarships
2025         Winner of the Nillumbik Art Prize

2023         Australia Council (Creative Australia) inaugural Arts and Disability Initiative grant

​2022         Creator's Fund 2022 for a new dance performance
                  Regional Arts Victoria grant for Sustaining Creative workers

2021         Regional Arts Victoria major grant for What I Wish I Told You collaboration project 
                  Graduate Women Victoria scholarship (Lara Irvine/Meg Endersbee scholarship), Melbourne

2020         Winner of the Lake Art Prize - an acquisitive award
                  Australian Arts Council Innovation Games, First place winner  
                  Australian Arts Council grant - funding for Deaf Voices performance and textile project
                  Art House commission awarded with a grant for Art House Housewarming

2019         Nomination for the Australia Council of the Arts Leadership 
                  Arts Activated Grant recipient by Moreland Council for Auslan Movement Performance
                  Creative Victoria grant Recipient for Mentorship and Deaf arts project development                                                                     
​                  Selected for Testing Grounds Test Sites workshop for my project development
                  Recipient of Creative Victoria grant for mentorship and Deaf arts project development

2018         Recipient of the Regional Arts Victoria Community Arts Grants for Bushfires of 2009
                  Second prize winner in the major QLD Deaf arts exhibition
                  Recipient of the microgrant for the Fringe Festival Melbourne
                  Regional Arts Victoria grant recipient for the Sydney Other Art Fair

2016         Australian Arts Council grant - funding for Paris and London exhibitions
                  Richard Llewellyn Arts grant – funding for Wait of World Exhibition in Melbourne

2015         Arts SA Makers and Presenter’s Grant for Blue Ghosts Exhibition in Melbourne, March 2015

2014         Richard Llewellyn Arts grant – funding to attend Arts Activated Conference, October 2014
                  Dawn Slade Faull Award - the painter, Adelaide

2012         Richard Llewellyn Arts grant – funding for Vintage is Good solo exhibition, Adelaide

2002         Sir Charles Bright Scholarship - Studies in BA of Visual Arts and Applied Design
 
Solo Exhibitions
2025       What is Family??? (I Am Me: Who I Want To Be​), painting and drawing works in exhibition, Trocadero Projects, Melbourne

2024        
I Will Tell You Later, Dance performance and art installation, Kings Artist Run Gallery, Melbourne

​2023        Field of Sound Visualisation, Performance and art installation, Temperance Hall, Melbourne

2021        
Safe Space II Performance, July in the Common Rooms, Melbourne
                 Listen!, Art House Housewarming commissioned exhibition, Art House, Melbourne

2020        The Deaf Culture​ exhibition, Incinerator Gallery - Boadle Hall, Melbourne
​

2019        
The Auslan Movement show (performance and exhibition), Melbourne Fringe Festival
                 Bushfires of 2009 Abstracts, commissioned by Regional Arts Victoria, Wonthaggi ArtSpace Gallery, Wonthaggi, Victoria

2018        FernArtz Gallery, Moon in Exhibition, Coburg, Melbourne
                 Experimental Art Installation Exhibition of The Cot story, Melbourne Fringe Festival, Avondale Heights Library Gallery space

2017        Berlin Pop Up Exhibition, Enchanted Collection with Arts Access Australia, Brotafabrik Gallery, Berlin, Germany
                 Volkys Collection, SALA Festival, Dulwich Bakery, Dulwich, South Australia
 
2016        Chapter One Hotel, Chelle's Collections in UK, Bath, UK
                 Chelle's Collections in Paris, Galerie Metanoia, Paris, France
                 Wait of World II, SALA Festival, City Library, Rundle Mall, Adelaide South Australia
                 Wait of the World, Gasworks Arts Park Art Gallery, Melbourne, Victoria

2015        Venice Biennale, Collection of Blue Ghost artworks, Italy, Ca' Zanardi Palezzo
                 Art Images Gallery, Solo exhibition featuring Volky’s Adventures II, Norwood, Adelaide, South Australia,
                 Inking History, invite by West Torrens Council Gallery, illustrations of the heritage buildings of Hindmarsh, Adelaide, South Australia
                 Roam the Blue Ghosts I, House of Bricks, Collingwood, Melbourne

2014        Semaphore Art Walk, Semaphore Main Road in conjunction with Semaphore Street Assoc, Adelaide, SA
                 My Home Town, watercolour drawings Port Noarlunga places, Port Noarlunga Arts Centre, SA
​
2012        Vintage is Good, collection of watercolour illustrations of vintage items and buildings, Urban Cow Studio, Adelaide
 
Group Exhibitions
2025         -Finalist for Nillumbik Prize for Contemporary Art, Montsalvat gallery, Eltham, Melbourne - WINNER
                  
-Finalist for Flanagan Art Prize, St Patrick’s College, Ballarat, Victoria
​                  -Finalist Exhibition for Midsumma Australia Post Art Award, No Vacancy Gallery, Melbourne

2024         Like New - Recent Acquisitions MAC yapang, 19 October 2024 - 08 December, Museum of Art and Culture, Lake Macquarie, NSW.
                  Finalist for Fisher’s Ghost Art Award, Campbelltown, NSW
                  Fifty Squared Art Prize, Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne
                  Winter Night Screening, Counihan Gallery, Merri-bek, Melbourne
                  The Collective exhibition, celebrating 50 years of Arts Access Victoria, Meat Market Stables, Melbourne
                  ​Lethbridge Small Scale Art Prize, Finalist exhibition online Salon des Refusés, Paddington, QLD

2023        Deaf Gain exhibition, Kerry Packer Civic Gallery, Adelaide 
                 
Flow Festival, Deaf arts festival, Melbourne
                 
Finalist for Footscray Art Prize, Footscray, Melbourne, Victoria
                 Lethbridge Small Scale Art Prize, Finalist exhibition online Salon des Refusés, Paddington, QLD
                 Muswellbrook Art Prize exhibition, Muswellbrook, NSW
​
2022        What I Wish I’d Told You, Collaborative Deaf project with Claire Bridge, Realm ArtSpace
                 What I Wish I’d Told You, Collaborative Deaf project with Claire Bridge, Hyphen, Wodonga
                 What I Wish I’d Told You, Collaborative Deaf project with Claire Bridge, FCAC, Footscray
                 Finalist for OptiKA: Kingston Photographic Award, Kingston Arts Centre, Moorabbin, Melbourne
                 Finalist Exhibition for the Wyndham Art Prize, Wyndham Art Gallery, Werribee, Melbourne
                 Tenancy, exhibition of 12 women artists curated by Tracey Lamb, South Yarra, Melbourne
                 Finalist Exhibition for the Omnia Art Prize, St Kevin’s College, Toorak, Melbourne
                 Finalist Exhibition for the Banyule Art Prize, Art Gallery 275, Ivanhoe, Melbourne
                 The IRL+URL Exhibition, Queertech.IO, Midsummer Festival 2022, Melbourne
                 Face-to-Face performance, collaboration with Elvin Lam and Melody Shotade, Midsummer

2021       Master of Contemporary Art Graduate Exhibition, VCA, Melbourne University, Melbourne
                Sawtooth ARI Members' Exhibition, Sawtooth ARI Gallery, Tasmania
                Microcosm, 2021 Craft Contemporary Satellite Program, Clan Collective, Melbourne
                Face Me: Art of Deafhood, Lismore Regional Gallery, Lismore, NSW
                From Where I Stand #3, Masters of Contemporary Art 2nd year Exhibition, VCA Art Space, Melbourne
                Memory Lane Public Art, Midsumma Festival and Metro Tunnel Creative Program, Melbourne

                Finalist Exhibition for Footscray Art Prize, Footscray, Melbourne, Victoria
                Art House Housewarming commissioned exhibition, Art House, Melbourne

                Siena Art Institute Residency Program Exhibition, Siena Art Institute gallery, Siena, Italy (postponed indefinitely maybe to 2023 - 2024)
                                         
2020       
Finalist Exhibition for Lake Art Prize, Museum of Art and Culture, Lake Macquarie - Winner
                Finalist Exhibition for Noel Counihan Commemorative Award, Counihan Gallery, Melbourne
                Finalist exhibition for Fisher's Ghost Award, Campbelltown, NSW

                IAN annual Art Exhibition, the Inclusive Arts Network, Geelong, Victoria
                
Zero O'Clock Exhibition, CoVA (Centre of Visual Arts), VCA, Melbourne
                Finalist exhibition for Incinerator Art Award, Incinerator Gallery, Melbourne
                Master of Contemporary Art first year show, 3x3, VCA (online on instagram @vcaartspace) 
                
The Emerging Writers Festival film poetry exhibition; co-curated by the festival & Poetry Film Portal
                The Platform 2020, Arts Festival - Rivana Arts, Wagga Wagga, NSW
                Midusmma Aust Post Art Prize Finalist Exhibition, No Vacancy Gallery, Melbourne

2019       Axiom: A Reimagined Reality, for International Day of People with Disability, SpACE@Collins gallery, Melbourne
                Linden Postcard Show Art Prize, Linden New Art Gallery, St Kilda, Melbourne 
                
Finalist Exhibition for Noel Counihan Commemorative Award, Counihan Gallery, Melbourne
                KernArt Art Prize exhibition, Kernot, Victoria
                Selected Exhibition, Axiom: A Reimagined Reality, SpACE@Collins, Melbourne
                Finalist Exhibition for the Lyn McCrea Memorial Drawing Prize, Noosa Regional Gallery, QLD
                Selected Catalogue Exhibition of 10 artists for Ignite by Rotary Club / Arts Access Victoria, No Vacancy Gallery, Melbourne
                Finalist Exhibition in the Banyule Art Prize, Hatch Contemporary Arts Space, Ivanhoe, Melbourne
​
2018       November - The Flow Festival, The Cot Story Extended
                The Other Fair, Melbourne, Australia
                The Skin Gallery show duo with Luke King. Exhibition of two Deaf artists

                The Other Fair, Sydney, Australia
                 ArtSpace Wonthaggi, Victoria, Australia
                 Mornington Art Show, Victoria, Australia
                 Me & Baby Moon portrait

2017        Rome Arts Expo, Vatican City, Rome, Italy, Me & Baby Moon portrait shown in this

Residencies and Development
2022                      August - printmaking residency at Baldessin Press Studios
2024                      June - residency at Siena Art Institute, Siena, Italy (postponed - TBA)
2024                      June-July - Collaboration with music school, The Inspiration Orchestra, Scotland, UK (postponed - TBA)
2020                      Deaf Community Advisor - supported by City of Melbourne Quick Response Grant
2020                      Creative Development residency for performance, Brunswick Mechanics Institute (postponed, date TBA)

2019 - 2020          Oct-Jan selected as one of the 5 artists for Artist in Residency at Heritage Hill, Dandenong
2019                      Sept - One of three judges for a juried art show at VDC (Victorian Deaf College)
2019 - 2020          Mentorship and Deaf Culture Art Project development
2019                      Cultural Threads, Nebula, Dandenong, textile collaborations with Warren Loorham, Karen
                               Walker, Rhian Hinkley and Kim Charman
2019                      April - Testing Grounds - Test Sites workshop
2017                      Berlin - Workshop teaching collaboration with Corry Siw Mirski, leading tour exhibition and my duo exhibition with Corry
 
Publications
2022       TV news Channel 7 Prime about our What I Wish I’d Told You exhibition at Wodonga-
https://www.7regional.com.au/news/7477804-empowering-exhibition?fbclid=IwAR1lktUw4IkAMk90V0_UdS_I-jUyb9vgfz3uz8RXlCo1u8PiMK0YkljrTsM
     and
                Newspaper Border Mail, Saturday Sept 17th 2022, page 13 "Untold Stories of Deaf Voices" –
https://www.bordermail.com.au/story/7906076/an-immersive-showcase-of-untold-stories-of-deaf-voices-will-be-on-display/

2022       The Philip Island Advertiser 20 July 2022 - https://www.pisra.com.au/community/creators-grant-to-local-artist

2021       
Bass Coast newspaper article on my auslan poetry workshop at Wonthaggi Adult Learning Centre
https://www.basscoastpost.com/geoff-ellis/kapow-the-deaf-experience

2021       ABC 25 June 2021 - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-25/people-with-disabilities-not-supported-auslan-australia-talk/100197524
​

2020       Review of my Melbourne Fringe show performance in The Age, 30 Nov 2020 (short one paragraph review)
                https://www.theage.com.au/culture/theatre/it-was-a-heroic-effort-but-did-the-online-fringe-really-cut-it-20201130-p56j56.html?fbclid=IwAR0JC05E78fsnTCGNs97Mq5sFV-z4E0zICh_ykgLXWJ67w_5abNjXAmdV9Q
 
2020       Interview on winning the Australia Council for the Arts National Innovation Games
                https://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/arts-in-daily-life/artist-stories/national-innovation-games-chelle-destefano/
​
2019       Article in il Globo (Italian paper, Melbourne) on my Auslan Sculpture Performance, Monday 9 Sept 2019

2019      Published story article in Herald Sun / Moreland Leader paper on my upcoming Auslan Movement performance for the fringe
               Dated 4 September 2019
               
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/north-west/fringe-show-from-artist-chelle-destefano-to-teach-audiences-about-sign-language/news-story/f40e4ad11504a63cfcc531ce8c4a800e
​

2019      Winning Prize in QLD Deaf Services Art Prize and face of the QLD Deaf Lottery
              
http://tiny.cc/lyl9az
​

2019           Newspaper (Bass News) an article on my arts career success
https://www.basscoastpost.com/liane-arno/beyond-words?fbclid=IwAR3ij5yhzh7_n5Z9tEXicLmWqXfhviDRLIleonQ258QUA4AZansqx6rLxc0

2019            Winning publication of my work on Arts Access Australia for 2019
https://artsaccessaustralia.org/success-stories/our-featured-artworks-for-2019/

2018            Write up on my exhibition in the Sydney Other Art Fair on Accessible Arts website
http://www.aarts.net.au/whats-on/the-other-art-fair/

2017             Feature article by art packing specialists Pack and Send as one of their customers
                       
https://blog.packsend.com.au/chelle-destefano

2017             My artwork on coffee cup from Dulwich featured in Herald Sun
                    http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/envirofriendly-recyclable-coffee-cup-launches-in-melbourne/news-story/461f3c3b60d2d85a4691c3bc7fc5b3a6

2017             Chelle's artworks on coffee cups at Dulwich bakeries featured in Adelaide's Advertiser 24 May 2017
                    http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/entertainment/arts/dulwich-bakery-outlets-feature-sala-art-works-on-collectable-coffee-cups/news-story/11f41005c54f93d19bf514711288605f

Email

gypsysnail at hotmail com
Chelle Destefano - copyright 2013 - 2025
Picture
  • Home
  • About Chelle
  • Artworks / Projects
    • Drawing
    • Paintings
    • Works on paper
    • Multidisciplinary Artforms Installation and Performances
    • Sculpture
    • public art
    • photography
  • Exhibitions
  • C.V.
  • News
    • Blog
    • Works in Progress
  • Contact
  • media reviews