Drie Chapek was born in 1979, in Detroit Michigan with a life of transition and movement ahead. As a child from two homes across many states, perspectives from the airplane as well as the road created views of connectivity in the greater picture. Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Kansas were all in the annual routine as well as additional travel on the east coast. They were born into a life or death family as their older sister had severe health issues and was not expected to live, with on going operations she continues to live. Life and death as well as connection through the human experience on Earth continue to be themes Chapek explores.

In the middle of earning their Set Design degree, at the University of Kansas, they were drawn to exploring their own themes in the Fine Arts. Before graduating with a BA from the University of Kansas, where they studied with Roger Shimomura and Tanya Hartman, Chapek was given a full scholarship to study abroad in Stoke-on-Trent, England in 2001. It was there, that Drie learned they had a deep desire to create work that observes the visceral as well as the unknown to allow acceptance of it. While visiting large art museums in Europe she was inspired by the soulful imagery of ancient art, religious art, mandalas, indigenous art and visionary work to find a language that could talk about humanity and transformation with inclusion to the human experience.

Moving through the sudden death of their second child proved great practice to Drie’s painting theory. Turning ideas of ways to live close to life and death into a reality. The richness of enjoying their three living children alongside losses and unforeseen challenges around raising a child with disabilities, has provided rich painting and life.

A Joanna Macy week long intensive workshop around using grief as a motor to drive change gave power to concept in 2011. Drie did a year long study with Char Sundust, learning the Lakota way to soulful awareness and connection through the natural world. Nine years of parent education through the Edmonds Community College provided the most up to date education around parenting her children and so learning tools in self parenting. From 2013 to 2020 she was taught by Rosemary White OTR/L, how to use Play Therapy to engage her autistic son in connecting and learning. Growing his world through imaginative play also rewired Drie’s painting world. Drie has worked with Somatic trained therapists since 2015, learning about the powerful awareness of the nervous system and the effect of changing anxious patterns into soothed calm patterns. Drie brings these learned techniques into the rhythm of her painting as well as the concepts.

In 2024 she has shown in group shows in “Jackson Short List” Bankside Gallery, London, England. In New York, NY with The Visionary Projects at the Anderson Contemporary, “It’s Time to Slow Down”. “Napa Collects”, Bedside Gallery, Napa, CA. Previous group shows have included “Vivid Vibrations” Visionary Project, The Yard, Brooklyn, NY; “A Body Among Bodies" Kirkland Arts Center, Kirkland, WA and “Seattle Contemporary Artists” Relish Magazine, Seattle, WA

Some recent solo shows have been 2024 “Inside the Outside” Greg Kucera Gallery, 2022 “A Way” i.e. Gallery. 2021 “Churning” and 2019 “In the Quiet” with Greg Kucera Gallery Seattle, WA and 2019 “Soul Juice” I.E. Gallery Edison, WA. 2014 “Emote” 2010 “Expression” with Zeitgeist, Seattle WA.

Drie Chapek has been working and showing in the Seattle area since 2002.