Special to the LPJ.
Just like everything else in life, the art world has seen some major evolution in recent years as our technology advances and access becomes more widespread. We’ve seen artists evolve from painting and drawing on paper to now applying the same skills and techniques to a digital medium.
Chlese Henderson is a young digital illustrator here in Ruston. She first arrived as a new student at Louisiana Tech in 2015 and has established strong roots here since. Chlese says that she loves creating imaginative characters and illustrating stories around them.
However, she doesn’t just work in digital art. She also sews and uses this skill to create new and unique clothing from upcycled materials. She particularly likes to work with vintage fabrics, buttons and trims to bring something nostalgic to her creations.
Like so many other local artists, Henderson says that she has been making art for as long as she can remember, since she could hold a pencil in her own hands. Chlese says that while her iPad and Apple Pencil are among her favorite tools to work with, she also enjoys a good mechanical pencil with a fresh eraser and nice smooth blank paper.’”
Chlese graduated with her Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Digital Illustration from Louisiana Tech in 2019. Since then she was awarded the Argent Distinguished Fellow for The Hambidge Center for the Creative Arts & Sciences Residency in 2022. She has participated in various local art exhibits and was a featured artist in NCLAC’s 2023 Holiday Arts Tour with her sister Camellia.
Henderson claims her biggest inspiration for her work comes from people and nature. “I often see these distinct characteristics as I pass people out in the world, like their hair or fashion choices, and I love taking those little bits of them that I notice and honoring that person by including it in a character I draw,” explains Chlese, “I also love doing the same thing with nature; taking the specific little beauties I see in rocks, clouds, sunlight, or a leaf and putting that beauty into my work.”
Chlese’s passion for art comes from the freedom in expression she finds in her journey. She also says that she loves that art allows her to connect with others, making the world and our communities more beautiful, vibrant, and fun.
When asked about her creative process, Henderson says that she always have to be full of life’s good things before she can create. “I feel most ready to create art after I’ve gone on a walk, had a good conversation with a friend, read an amazing book, or seen other art that makes me happy,” states Chlese.
Among famous artists that Chlese draws further inspiration from are Hayao Miyazaki (Studio Ghibli), Genndy Tartakovsky (Samurai Jack), Tiffany Ford (Craig of the Creek), Patrick McHale (Over the Garden Wall), Anna-Laura Sullivan, and Hiller Goodspeed.
Chlese says that she hopes to convey many different things through her art, but if she had to pick just one, it’s that she wants her art to convey that Black girls and women are fun and imaginative too. She has this piece of advice for other creatives, “When you create, try your hardest not to worry about what you think people want you to make. Rather, create what makes you smile and what captures your interest. Even if it doesn’t get the most likes, you’ll always be proud of it!”
You can follow Chlese Henderson on Instagram at chlarts as well as her website at chlesejiles.wixsite.com/mysite. She is also part of a collaborative pop-up art shop with her sister Camellia Bailey, aptly named Sister Shop. You can find them on Instagram at sistershop.jiles.
