The Ohio Artist Registry (OAR) is an exciting opportunity for artists to share their work, connect with the creative community, and establish an online presence—all on a free, virtual platform! The OAR encourages artists working in all art forms, throughout Ohio and beyond, to create a profile, which allows them to better promote themselves and their work. Being listed in the OAR provides artists with new opportunities to share their work with clients, galleries, patrons, and audiences. A listing in the OAR does not confer an endorsement, approval, or verification by the Ohio Arts Council.
For more information, contact Kathy Signorino, artist programs director, at kathy.signorino@oac.ohio.gov or 614-728-6140.
2024 Ohio Artist Registry Juried Exhibition
Bio
Catalina Celis was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, in a family of five children where art, literature, and music were their daily bread and butter. Growing up with a medley of German, Venezuelan, and Colombian holiday traditions, and where creativity was encouraged daily, her imagination saw no limits. She found inspiration in every corner of her house. Designed by his dad, an architect, its windowed-walls inviting in nature and light. Light transformed every corner of her house, every moment of the day while she day-dreamed of princesses, dragons and knights. She wrote stories, plays, and poems in which her day-dreamed characters stitched tales with magical threads and pixie dust. She brought her characters to life with her Prismacolor pencils, on a Strathmore sketchbook from her dad. And, with her twin sister, Claudia, they invented perfume-talcum cakes, and brick-powder mosquito bite poultices.
Even though she graduated as a Chemical Engineer with a Minor in Computer Science and worked in Information Technology as a Business Systems Analyst until recently, she has always pursued her artistic ambitions, which germinated inside the walls of her house and were fostered by her family’s love. As a fine art artist, she has participated in several collective exhibits, The Columbus Art Festival, and a solo exhibit at the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Sofía Imber for example. Her illustrations for the ballet “La Doncella,” by Alberto Grau, the “A Ceremony of Carols,” by Benjamin Britten, and Earthsongs’ Latin-American Music series are among her most relevant illustration work. As a 3D artist, her ornaments and collectible figurines are her latest creations which combine her love for art, creativity, engineering processes, and her insatiable imagination.
Today, Catalina Celis lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband Steve, a few fairies, pixies, and gnomes, who have taken home in her English garden, and the frequent guests, doe and fawns, who come to eat the hostas in her garden.
ART SHOWS & FESTIVALS
- Christkindl Markt, Dayton, OH (2022, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017)
- Columbus Winterfair, Columbus, OH (2022, 2021, 2020 – virtual, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2015, 2014, 2013)
- Columbus Christmas Fair, Columbus, OH (2018, 2017, 2016)
- Christkindl Markt, Canton, OH (2018, 2017, 2016)
- Ohio Mart, Akron, OH (2018, 2017, 2016)
- Mennonite Church – Columbus, OH (2018, 2017)
- ArtAffaire – Milford, OH (2018)
- Ohio Wizard of Oz Festival – Macedonia, OH (2018)
- Dazzle – Ashland University, Ashland, OH (2017)
- Our Lady of Victory – Grandview, OH (2017, 2002)
- Makapen Art Show, Columbus, OH (2017)
- Barberton Mum Festival, Barberton, OH (2014)
- WoodsStock Music & Arts Festival, Elmore, OH (2014)
- Art on the Lawn, Yellow Springs, OH (2014)
- Lazy Daze of Summer Festival, Grandview, OH (2014)
- Clintonville Arts Festival, Columbus, OH (1999)
- Creation ’96, A Celebration of Liturgical Art, Columbus, OH (1996)
- Columbus Art Festival, Columbus, OH (1992)
FINE ART EXHIBITS
- Solo Exhibit, “Museo de Art Contemporáneo de Caracas”, Caracas, Venezuela (1994)
- New England Fine Art Institute Annual Art Exhibit, Boston, MA (1993)
- “Salón Municipal de Pintura de Aragua”, Maracay, Venezuela (1984)
- “Salón de Pintura Ingenua Homenaje a Simón Bolívar”, Caracas, Venezuela (1984)
- “Salón de Pintura Ingenua de Fundarte”, Caracas, Venezuela (1983)
- “Salón de Arte de Aragua”, Maracay, Venezuela (1982)
- “Salón de Arte Arturo Michelena”, Caracas, Venezuela (1981)
- “Salón Nacional del Jóvenes Artistas”, Caracas, Venezuela (1981)
- “Salón de Pintura Ingenua Bárbaro Rivas”, Caracas, Venezuela (1980)
- “Tercer Salón Anual de Pintura de Banap”, Caracas, Venezuela (1978)
OTHER RELEVANT WORK
- Acrylic on canvas commissioned by the María Guinand, director of the Cantoría Alberto Grau, for the cover of their LP album “A Ceremony of Carols”
- Acrylic on canvas commissioned by musician Alberto Grau for the premier of his ballet “La Doncella”; featured on program and commemorative posters
- Illustrations for Latin-American Music series, published by earthsongs, Corvallis, OR (1990 – present)
- Book “Catalina Celis, the earthsongs Illustrations”, published by earthsongs, Corvallis, OR (2007)
Artist Statement
At CELIStial Art, we dream the most unique and charming hand-made ornaments and figurines to celebrate people’s most cherished memories. With these unique, found-object ornaments and figurines we make today, we hope to spread the joy we experienced in our childhood, the magical moments we created with our children, the importance of cherishing family, and the significance of celebrating every magical moment of our lives.
At CELIStial Art we believe in preserving memories. We hope that our unique Memories should live in every corner of our homes and passed along to future generations. We imagine mantles all decked out remembering a special life moment. And Christmas trees becoming live scrapbooks of families’ special occasions. And simple curio cabinets filled with nostalgia. So, we hope our ornaments and figurines will help our customers celebrate their own magical memories.
At CELIStial Art we believe in the joy of creating memories together with friends and family. We believe in baking together, decorating the Christmas Tree together, and crafting together. So, we offer a unique collection of craft kits that will provide our customers with hours of wholesome entertainment as they create unique ornaments and collectibles for their home and holidays decorations.
At CELIStial Art we believe in the potential that common materials have when you dare to push your creativity and imagination. And we believe in giving used materials a second life. So, our ornaments and collectible figurines are handmade mostly from repurposed and recycled materials. Materials collected from second-hand stores, and garage sales. Or gifted by friends, and friends of friends, and our own customers, who love to see how we transform found-objects and whatnots into our unique figurines and ornaments.
At CELIStial Art we believe in magical worlds, enchanted forests, and fantasy realms. And we believe in fueling the imagination of children of all ages. And we believe in making the impossible possible, and the common extraordinary. So, we explore the most cherished classical children’s books and fairy tales to create our unique figurines. And we imagine our own fantasy world inhabited by our own fantastic creatures that we embody in our unique figurines and ornaments.