Kelly Chester is a watercolor artist who is inspired by the beauty of nature and animals, especially those creatures who make the Monterey peninsula their home. Kelly has a unique ability to capture the essence of the animal’s “magik” and the vibrant expressions of nature’s beauty in her paintings. Her talent as an artist is an inherent gift which she has honed through mindful practice throughout the years. Through the medium of watercolor, Kelly has not only learned life lessons which have transformed her, but also transformed others through its expression.

“Being diagnosed with acut...

Kelly Chester is a watercolor artist who is inspired by the beauty of nature and animals, especially those creatures who make the Monterey peninsula their home. Kelly has a unique ability to capture the essence of the animal’s “magik” and the vibrant expressions of nature’s beauty in her paintings. Her talent as an artist is an inherent gift which she has honed through mindful practice throughout the years. Through the medium of watercolor, Kelly has not only learned life lessons which have transformed her, but also transformed others through its expression.

“Being diagnosed with acute leukemia has given me a second chance at life, literally.

I no longer want to live another moment with unhappy lifestyles, people, jobs or circumstances that will hinder my overall sense of purpose and joy. Life is precious and it can end in a second. Before cancer, I had forgotten these things; I had forgotten all the simple things in life that bring me great pride, contentment, and joy. I was becoming one of the many that just seemed to exist and not reach out to tap into our true gifts and universal paths.

Since I have been painting in the hospital, I have been able to let go of my deadly disease and live in the present - without fear - and to feel good again about what I have accomplished throughout my life. I am a painter!! “
–Kelly