original  paintings by Cathy Chalfant   

Art runs through my family across generations and continents, beginning with my great-grandmother in the early 1900s. I trained intensively with internationally acclaimed artist Irina Smulevitch at Carmel Art Education Studio and through workshops at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC.

I'm drawn to the quiet, unguarded moments that reveal who someone truly is—a gesture that was theirs alone, the absorption in what they loved. Art holds what we can't hold otherwise, and for those honoring someone they've lost, capturing people in the midst of life becomes irreplaceable.

I find these moments everywhere—in my family, in strangers, in the French countryside. Working primarily in oil, pastel, and charcoal, I paint portraits, figurative work, still life, and landscapes.

I do take commissions, though I work on them one at a time to give each project the care it deserves. Feel free to reach out with your ideas—I'd be happy to chat about your vision and how we can bring it to life!

You can view and purchase my work on Etsy https://www.etsy.com/shop/cathychalfant‍ ‍

For inquiries about custom orders and commissions, please email me directly.

My 2026 calendar of events will be posted shortly. Please stay tuned!