Meet the Artist
Chase DeForest creates collaged and stitched leather artworks broadly exploring themes surrounding cattle, horses, landscapes - the American West broadly. She uses hides as a conceptual jumping off point for her subject matter. The artwork celebrates the history and many compelling properties of leather: supple, durable, flexible and fun.
Chase was raised riding horses on a rural family farm. After receiving an MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design she spent the next two decades designing and making commissioned custom furniture for clients and exhibitions. During this time she also worked in the arts management industry, working for renown glass artist Dale Chihuly (Seattle), an award winning architecture firm (Minneapolis) and the Clyfford Still Museum project (Denver).
After accidentally meeting a boot maker at a party, she was introduced to the idiosyncratic world of custom cowboy boot makers. She sold her entire woodworking shop to fund the acquisition of all the boot making tools needed. After working with the leather for several years, she discovered its many attributes and potential and has now also taken the medium from the foot to the wall.
Experience
STUDIO PRACTICE
Chase DeForest chasedeforest.net chasecustomboots.com Owner, Maker, 1995 – present
One-of-a-kind artwork using leather as the primary medium (2018 - present)
Award winning, custom fit, custom designed cowboy boots hand made for private clientele (2013 - present)
One-of-a-kind custom commissioned furniture pieces for private clientele (1995 - 2012)
EDUCATION
M.F.A., Rhode Island School of Design, Providence: Department of Furniture Design
B.A., Hampshire College, Amherst, MA: Fine Arts major
RECENT MUSEUM EXHIBITION HISTORY
57th Annual Exhibition & Auction, Yellowstone Art Museum, Billings, MT; February 2025
Annual Exhibition, Harvest Gala & Auction, Waterworks Art Museum, Miles City, MT; August 2023
Celebrating Yellowstone’s 150th, Yellowstone Gateway Museum, Livingston, MT; July - October 2023
Perspectives on Paul Harris, Danforth Museum, Livingston, MT; May - June 2023
Birds of the Rocky Mountain Region, Brinton Museum, Bighorn, WY; May - June 2023
55th Annual Exhibition & Auction, Yellowstone Art Museum, Billings, MT; February 2023
RECENT GALLERY EXHIBITION HISTORY
Art Week Park County Exhibition and Auction; Livingston Depot, September 2025
Hard Twist, Two Rivers Gallery, Big Timber, MT; August 2025
Rooted, Livingston Art Center, Livingston, MT; July 2025
Sweet Pea Festival Summer Juried Art Show, Bozeman, MT; July 2024
Centennial Rodeo, Livingston Art Center, Livingston, MT; July 2024
Montana Modern, Two Rivers Gallery, Big Timber, MT; September 2023
New Western Talent, Western Gallery, Online; July 2023
Art in Bloom, Martha Spak Gallery, Washington, DC; April 2023
Annual Community Show, Livingston Art Center, Livingston, MT; March 2023
Wildlife, Bruce Seidel Gallery, Sundance, WY; February 2023
Art in Bloom, Martha Spak Gallery, Washington, DC; April 2022
HIDE, Solo Exhibition, Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, Hyattsville, MD; June 2019
RESIDENCIES & ART FAIRS
Handmade Montana, Missoula, MT; December 2025
SUPERFINE Art Fair, San Francisco, CA; March 2025
Handmade Montana, Helena, MT; December 2024
SUPERFINE Art Fair, New York, NY; May 2024
SUPERFINE Art Fair, Washington, DC; October 2023
Big Sky Artisan Festival, Big Sky, MT; July 2023
The Other Art Fair, Dallas, TX; October 2022
SUPERFINE Art Fair, Washington, DC; April 2022
Reed Fly Residency, Livingston, MT; February 2022
Western Design Conference, Jackson Hole, WY; September 2021
Jentel Foundation Residency, Banner, WY; Spring 2021
The Studio
Located in the historic Thompson building in downtown Livingston, Montana a historic railroad and ranching community.
