David Chatt – Artist, Designer and Maker of Curiosities

David Chatt is a self-taught artist who crafts miniature glass beads into vessels, trinkets and sculptures. His pieces have been featured in the collections of institutions such as Corning Museum of Glass, New York’s Museum of Art and Design, Tacoma Arts Museum and Racine Art Museum among others.

In his show Scout’s Box, Chatt encases objects from his past in monochromatic beads, muting associations and crystallizing feelings to tell a tale both personal and universal.

Early Life and Education

David Chatt was raised in Clarksburg, West Virginia and studied percussion and piano while in junior high and college. Ultimately he joined the Spirit of Atlanta drum and bugle corps as both a front ensemble member and primary music arranger.

He has been creating glass art for nearly forty years, stitching together tiny beads to create vessels, trinkets and sculptures that have been featured at The Corning Museum of Glass, New York’s Museum of Art and Design and Tacoma Arts Museum among others. A former Penland Resident Artist and recipient of two Artist Trust Fellowships, Chatt is currently based in Seattle where he continues his craft as one of a handful of pioneering beadwork artists making their mark on contemporary craft and design.

Professional Career

David Chatt is a self-taught sculptor who creates vessels, trinkets and sculptures by manually sewing tiny glass beads together. His pieces can be found in collections across America including Corning Museum of Glass, New York’s Museum of Art & Design, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Tacoma Arts Museum and Racine Art Museum among others.

Since 2008, he has been teaching courses at the College. His pedagogy incorporates visuals and straightforward explanations that stretch students intellectually beyond what is typically expected. Furthermore, he weaves stories of scientists into his course material in order to stimulate students’ minds and inspire them to think like real scientists – helping them aspire to become scientists themselves in the future.

Achievements and Honors

David Chatt is an artist who crafts with glass beads. His designs range from vessels and trinkets to sculptures that he constructs using a right-angle weave stitch that he developed himself.

His artwork can be found in galleries and museums such as Corning Museum of Glass, New York’s Museum of Art and Design, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Tacoma Art Museum and Racine Art Museum. Additionally he was a former Resident Artist at Penland and received awards from Ireland’s International Glass Biennale, Smithsonian American Crafts Museum and Renwick Gallery in Washington DC.

He is the recipient of two Artist Trust Fellowship Awards and serves on the Advisory Committee for the Renwick Gallery. Additionally, ArtDaily interviewed him and featured him in numerous publications.

Personal Life

David Chatt is a natural collector, living in a one-bedroom apartment. To keep him inspired, he keeps an assortment of small drawers filled with objects that speak to him.

At Sienna Patti Contemporary’s current exhibition, “Scout’s Box,” he wraps objects in beads – such as toy soldiers, a brownie camera perched atop a yellow Kodak box, and even a magnifying glass – creating delicate yet meticulous artwork.

David crafts his glass beads by hand using a unique right-angle weave stitch he developed. His intricate work has gained international recognition and is featured in collections including the Corning Museum of Glass, New York’s Museum of Art and Design, Tacoma Arts Museum and Racine Art Museum; additionally his artwork was recently showcased at A New State of Matter at Grand Rapids Art Museum.

Net Worth

David Chatt is a self-taught artist, designer and maker of curiosities. His artwork has been showcased at galleries and museums around the world and earned two Artist Trust Fellowships. It’s included in collections at Corning Museum of Glass (NY), New York’s Museum of Art & Design, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Tacoma Arts Museum and Racine Art Museum among others. Additionally he has received many awards for his artwork while living with his wife and 2 daughters in Soddy Daisy, Tennessee where he enjoys watching sports games while forecasting weather forecasting for Newschannel 9. Additionally he works as a local high school theater director when not creating.