CHAUTAUQUA — Chautauqua Institution has appointed artist Erika Hess as artistic director of Chautauqua Visual Arts.

In this role, Hess will help shape the model for the next chapter of CVA’s School of Art and oversee this dynamic hub for learning and expression comprised of the Chautauqua School of Art residency program, Strohl and Fowler-Kellogg Art Centers, The Melvin Johnson Sculpture Garden, The Gallery Store, the CVA Lecture Series and the growing education and community engagement programs.

Hess, a celebrated painter, curator, writer, and host of the famous art podcast “I Like Your Work,” is represented by Contemporary Art Matters and maintains a bustling studio practice in Columbus, Ohio, and Long Island City, New York. Her work has been showcased in prestigious galleries nationwide, including New York City, Brooklyn, Detroit, Los Angeles, Boston, and Philadelphia. Recent solo exhibitions include Marietta College and an upcoming exhibition at Bridgette Mayer Gallery’s Vault Space in Philadelphia while prior group exhibitions include showcases at Contemporary Art Matters in New York City, Columbus and Artsy, First Street Gallery in New York City, the Muse Gallery in Los Angeles and The Yard in Brooklyn.

“We are overjoyed to welcome Erika Hess as Artistic Director of Chautauqua Visual Arts,” said Laura Savia, Chautauqua Institution vice president of performing and visual arts. “Erika’s Podcast ‘I Like Your Work’ is a lightning rod for artists in America today. She is an innovator, an educator, and a painter with a flourishing career. Her deep dedication to serving early- and mid-career artists, coupled with her organizational acumen, will be a boon to CVA. At this critical juncture, when Chautauqua Institution is reinvesting in CVA’s facilities and reinvigorating our business model, Erika is the right leader to chart our course.”

A renowned leader in the field of visual arts, Hess’s insights have graced panels at the Missoula Art Museum SCOPE, (Miami), Cleveland Institute of Art and Boston University. Hess has been featured in esteemed publications like CFA (Boston University’s alumni magazine, Art New England, Artscope, all SHE makes and Visionary Art Magazine.