Chantal Lesley (she/her) is an artist based in Austin, TX. As a multicultural, first-generation American born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley along the U.S./Mexico border, Lesley’s work is deeply informed by her experience of being stretched between four cultures. The daughter of Peruvian and German immigrants, she explores themes of identity, belonging, and contemporary social and political issues through her art.

Lesley earned her BFA in Fine Art Photography from Texas State University in 2021, and her work has been exhibited across Texas and the U.S. Notable exhibitions include the Houston Center for Photography (Houston, TX), Craighead Green Gallery (Dallas, TX), Touchstone Gallery (Washington, D.C.), and Humble Arts Foundation (New York, NY).She has been selected for prestigious residencies, including LATITUDE (Chicago, IL), The Line in partnership with Big Medium (Austin, TX), Vermont Studio Center (Johnson, VT), and most recently, Château d'Orquevaux (Orquevaux, France). Lesley has also held solo exhibitions at the Dougherty Arts Center (Austin, TX), LHUCA (Lubbock, TX), and shedshows (Austin, TX).

In 2024, she is currently exhibiting her solo exhibition Meaningful Disruption at the Bradbury Art Museum (Jonesboro, AR).