SPS Member Profile

Jay DeChesere, a native of Kentucky, has always been interested in art, however practicing architecture from 1970 until 2020, put art on the back burner. Since beginning to paint in late 2015, he has been exploring various styles of pastel, watercolor and mixed media for a variety of subjects. Gleaning images from photos from travels to France, French Polynesia, Guatemala, Thailand, hiking the AT, and sailing much of the east coast of the US has provided a great inventory. One of his favorite activities is painting “en plein air” in Wilmington or wherever he goes. His greatest inspiration has come from the diverse styles of artists such as Mary Whyte, Dawn Emerson, Alain Picard, Joseph Zbukvic, Eudes Correia, Dean Mitchell, and Liz Haywood-Sullivan among others. He has been juried into over 79 shows, has received 43 awards on local, state, and national levels and has had work selected for three major art publications as well as others locally. He is a Signature Membership in the Watercolor Society of North Carolina, the Pastel Society of North Carolina and the Piedmont Pastel Society. He is a member of multiple pastel and watercolor societies and was on the board of the Piedmont Pastel Society where he served as treasurer for 5 years. He is also a Regional Director of the Watercolor Society of North Carolina.