EDUCATION 1979-1983 Atlanta College of Art, B.F.A. 1983. Sculpture, video, drawing. 1974-1976 Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC. Ceramics and graphics 1969-1974 The Galloway School, Atlanta, GA
SELECTED GRANTS AND AWARDS 2013 Virginia Highland Summerfest, Selection Committee juror, Atlanta, GA 2011 Hambidge Center for the Arts and Sciences, Fellow, Rabun Gap, GA. 2006-2011 Hambidge Center for the Arts and Sciences, Board of Directors. Rabun Gap, GA. 2009 American Crafts Council, Selection Committee juror, Highland, NY. 2008 Southwest Arts Center, Commission for eight light sculptures in the theater, Atlanta, GA. 2005 American Crafts Council, Selection Committee juror, Highland, NY. 2004 Hambidge Center for the Arts and Sciences, five-week artist residency, Rabun Gap, GA. 2001 Artscape, Juror, Atlanta, GA, 2000 American Craft Council, Selection Committee juror, Highland, NY. 1998 American Craft Council, Selection Committee juror, Highland, NY. Atlanta’s Urban Design Award for Architectural Excellence, lighting design for Nickiemoto’s Midtown, Atlanta, GA. 1996 Hand Workshop Craft and Design Show, Honorable Mention in Metal. Richmond, VA. 1992 City of Atlanta Bureau of Cultural Affairs, Exhibition grant at Chastain Gallery, Atlanta, GA. 1991 American Crafts Awards, Merit Award for Image Reflector. 1989 Atlanta College of Art, Alumni Juried Exhibition. Best of Show cash award. 1983 City of Atlanta Bureau of Cultural Affairs and National Endowment for the Arts, visual arts grant for solo exhibition. Atlanta College of Art. Recipient of Nanie Boyd Senior Award. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond. Rental of Tape Tape videotape. 1981 Visiting Artist, Artist-in-Residence Program, Georgia Council for the Arts and Humanities. Video and Performance Art Workshop. Recipient of Joel C. Reeves Institutional Scholarship for 1981-82 academic year. 1979 Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA), Winston-Salem, NC. Artist-in-residence sponsored by National Endowment for the Arts and the Rockefeller Foundation. 1978 City of Atlanta Department of Cultural Affairs, Exhibition grant.
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS 2012 Mason Murer Gallery of Fine Art, Atlanta, GA, Dysfunctional Objects. 2007 Open Studio show, Beacon Hill Artist Studios, Decatur GA, New Work. 2002 River Gallery, Chattanooga, TN, New Traditionalists IV. 2001 Signature Shop & Gallery, Atlanta GA, Chester Old. 2000 River Gallery, Chattanooga, TN, New Traditionalist. M.C Ginsberg, W. Des Moines, IA. New Work by Artist W. Chester Old. By Hand South Gallery, Decatur, GA. New Works in Metal. 1998 Piedmont Craftsmen Gallery, W. Chester Old, Winston-Salem, NC. 1997 Boulder Arts and Crafts Cooperative, Boulder, CO. Metalworks. 1996 River Gallery, Chattanooga, TN. Point of View. Detroit Gallery of Contemporary Crafts, Detroit, MI. Metalworks. 1995 River Gallery, Chattanooga, TN. Reflections. 1993 Studio Show, Atlanta. New Works. 1991 Lowe Gallery, Atlanta. New Designs 1990 Lowe Gallery, Atlanta. Vanities. 1989 Lowe Gallery, Atlanta. Light Sculptures. 1988 Piedmont Craftsmen, Inc., Winston-Salem, NC. Light Sculptures and Furniture. 1986 Ersatz Gallery, Atlanta. Paintings/Lighting. 1983 Chastain Gallery, Atlanta. Constructed Elements, sculpture and video Installation, artist talk. SECCA, Winston-Salem, NC. Constructed Elements. 1982 Atlanta College of Art, Gallery 413. Arrangements, video and sculpture installation. 1981 Atlanta College of Art, Gallery 413. Limits, Isolation, Removal and Insulation, sculpture and video installation. 1979 SECCA, Winston-Salem, NC. Illusions, sculpture installation. 1978 Penland School of Crafts. Guest artist, Bridges, outdoor installation, artist lecture.
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS 2015 Museum of Contemporary Art Georgia (MOCA GA), GATHERED: Georgia Artists Selecting Georgia Artists Art Miami Aqua, Signature Shop exhibition, Shadow Portraits. 2011 Swan Coach House Gallery, The Summer Swan Invitational, Atlanta, GA. 2001 - 2004 Enhancements: Handcrafted Functional Objects, Traveling Museum Exhibition. 2002 Quinlan Visual Arts Center, A Man’s Point of View, Gainesville, GA. Green Hill Center for North Carolina Art, Strength in Numbers, Greensboro, NC. 2001 Artwalk at Lenox Square, A Salute to American Craft, Atlanta, GA,.curated by Marianne Lambert. The Chelsea Collection, NYC. 2000 Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA.Spotlight 2000.
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS (CONT.) 2000 Schneider Museum of Art, Southern Oregon University, Ashland, OR, Sheen of Silver, Weight of Air, curated by Lloyd Herman. 1998 Detroit Gallery of Contemporary Crafts, Detroit, MI. Metalworks American Craft Exposition, Evanston, IL. 1997 Detroit Gallery of Contemporary Crafts, Detroit, MI. Best Seat in the House. Philadelphia Museum of Art, Craft Show, Philadelphia. Gallery I/O, New Orleans. It’s About Time. The Hickory Museum of Art, Hickory, NC. Spotlight ‘97. Washington Craft Show, Washington, DC. ACC Showcase of Fine Craft, Bellevue, WA. ArtWalk at Lenox Square, Atlanta. VESSELS: Southern Expressions of an Art Form. 1996 Kentucky Art and Craft Gallery, Louisville. Spotlight ‘96. American Crafts Council Show, Baltimore, MD. Luckie Street Studios, Atlanta. 1996 Summer Olympics Exhibition. 1995 Archetype Gallery, NYC. Art Designed for Living 1995. Gallery I/O, New Orleans, LA. Mirror, Mirror. American Crafts Council Show, San Francisco. 1994 Archetype Gallery, NYC. Re-Enchantment for the Home. Philadelphia Museum of Art, Craft Show, Philadelphia. Gallery 500, Philadelphia. Inside/Outside. 1993 Atlanta College of Art Gallery, Atlanta. Alumni Juried Exhibition. Ruskin Place Artists Colony, Seaside, FL. Form Meets Function. 1992 Archetype Gallery, NYC. Transition, Chastain Gallery, Atlanta. Strange Things. 1991 American Crafts Council, Atlanta. A Salute to American Craft. Metropolitan Home Show House 2, NYC. Benefit for DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation for AIDS). 1990 Target Gallery at the Torpedo Factory, Alexandria, VA Light’n Up. 1989 Gallery of Functional Art, Santa Monica, CA. Illuminations, Lighting as Art. Archetype Gallery, NYC. Art Designed for Living. Atlanta College of Art Gallery, Atlanta. ACA Alumni Juried Exhibition. Herman Miller and Axis Twenty, Atlanta, preview of Newhouse Group Furniture. 1987 Nexus Contemporary Arts Center Gallery, Atlanta. 1987 Atlanta Biennale. 1984 University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Twenty-two Southeastern Artists from SECCA. 1983 SECCA, Winston-Salem, NC. The Plate: Form and Function. Virginia Museum of Fine Art, Richmond, VA. Southern Voice. 1982 Atlanta College of Art. Magnetic Image 7 International. 1978 Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC. Biennial Exhibition of Piedmont Crafts.
PERMANENT COLLECTIONS 2017 Susan and Ron Antinori, private collection. 2008-2011 Barbara and Thomas Williams, purchases for Atlanta architectural firm ASD. 2007 Marianne Lambert, private collection, Atlanta. 2006 Lucinda Bunnen, private collection, Atlanta. 2001 Jane Fonda, private collection. 2000 Jane Fonda, commissions for offices, Atlanta. 1998 MCI Center, commission for corporate office, Atlanta. 1997 Truman Hall, purchase for the residence of The United States Ambassador to NATO. Brussels, Belgium. 1994 David Justice and Halle Berry, commissions for Atlanta home. 1994 Henry and Linda Schimberg, commissions for Atlanta and Aspen homes. 1992 Susan Krane, curator of 20th Century Art, High Museum of Art. Commission. 1988 Herman Miller, purchase for Atlanta showroom and offices. 1983 Magnetic Image 7 & 8, videos and catalog, Atlanta College of Art Library (now SCAD). 1977 General Services Administration, purchase for United States Government Offices.
CATALOGS, MEDIA COVERAGE, FILMS 2012 Last Chance To See Sculptor Chester Old’s Brilliantly Perverse and Beautiful Objets de Toolbox, Jerry Cullum, June 27. 2007 The Artful Home by Toni Sikes, features Karen basket and Knot bud vase. 2006 The Geometry of Clarity, Papercity, March 2006. 2004 Artist Brings Contemporary Flair, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, October 1. 2003 People 2 People, television interview with the American Crafts Council director. 2001 Expect the Unexpected from Functional Artists, Atlanta Journal Constitution, August 31. Ray of Light table lamps, American Craft, February. Sheen of Silver, Weight of Air, Schneider Museum of Art, curated by Lloyd Herman, exhibition catalog. The Illumination of Craft, Chicago Tribune, August 20. Karen fruit basket, Metropolitan Home, November. 2000 The Metal Craft Book, Lark Books, New York, NY. Show and Tell, The Lessons of the ‘90s, The Washington Post, September 30. Good Day Atlanta, live television interview from studio. 1998 ACC Bellevue, American Craft, September. Design Takes, Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles, September. The Right Spice, Woman’s Day Kitchens & Baths, winter issue. 1997 Contemporary American Crafts at Truman Hall, residence of NATO Brussels, Belgium, collection catalog.
1997 La Perichole, ArchitecturalDigest, June. Spotlight ‘97. American Craft Council/Southeast, juried exhibition catalog. 1996 Spotlight ‘96. American Craft Council/Southeast, juried exhibition catalog. Interior Elements, Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles, July/August. 1995 Susan Kuchinskas, Craft Fair Accentuates the Functional, San Francisco Examiner, August 2. Katherine Harris, Playful Art, The Washington Blade, November 24. People 2 People television interview with artist. 1994 Lisa Mowry, Mixed Media, Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles, October. 1992 Melissa Turner, Things That Make You Go HMMM..., The Miami Herald, September 25. Catherine Fox, Material Guy: Chester Old puts Funky Spin on the Familiar, The Atlanta Journal, The Atlanta Constitution, April 19. King Phoenix Productions, Inc. Broken Lives (work used in film). 1990 Diane DiCostanzo, See the Light, Taxi, March. Flash of the Spirit, the Art Lamp, Metropolis, June. 1989 Southeastern Product Designers, Design South, February. 1988 April Bogle-Booth, Good Things to Light, Chester Old’s Light Sculptures, Southern Homes, September-October. 1984 Jan Avgikos, Review of Constructed Elements, Art Papers, January-February. Catalog from XEROX: An Exhibition of Electrostatic Images, SECCA. 1983 Magnetic Image 7 & 8, videos and catalog, Atlanta College of Art library (now SCAD) 1982 Magnetic Image 7, video catalog. 1979 Artist’s statement and photographs for Illusions exhibition. Ceramics Monthly, January. 1976 Katherine Pearson, New Choices in Handmade Potter, Southern Living, December. Leon Nigrosh, Claywork: Form and Design (Davis, MA).
ARCHITECTURAL PROJECTS 2007 Marianne Lambert, residence installation, Atlanta. 2004 410 Lakeshore residence, Atlanta. Designed lighting, cabinets, cabinet pulls, wall treatment, sinks and furniture. 2000 Offices of Jane Fonda, Atlanta. Reception desk, ceiling and lighting. 1998 Stang & Newdow Architects, Nickiemoto’s restaurant, Atlanta. Designed custom lighting. 1997 Atlanta Decorators Show House 1996 Scogin, Elam, and Bray Architects. Weekend House, Atlanta. Designed flooring, walls, bath fixtures, shelving. 1994 Menefee & Winer Architects, Atlanta. Lewis/Johnson residence. Designed lighting.