In an interview with Chantal Bethel, journalist Sheena Butler wrote: "To navigate the mind of the artist, one must be willing to look at the world through her eyes, eyes which have seen both the joys and hardships of human existence. Like a complex work of art that features a variety of shapes colors and emotions, Bethel is a painting of life personified."
Chantal E.Y. Bethel was born in Haiti and at the age of 12 she left her native land to join her mother in Brussels, Belgium where she was educated. Nine years later she relocated to the Bahamas where her father had settled fleeing the Duvalier regime of Papa Doc and his fearsome tontons macoutes.
Bethel, whose education in Business Management led her to a 15 year career at the Lucayan Medical Center, describes her metamorphosis into an artist as a "mid-life renaissance". The guidance she received through various international workshops in the early 1990's and the mentorship of acclaimed Bahamian artist/sculptor Antonius Roberts inspired her to grow as an artist. She went on to pursue further studies at Haliburton School of the Arts in Canada.
Today Chantal Bethel is an accomplished artist who has received international recognition for her work. A noted painter, her fluid style complements her signature palette which is made of vibrant, warm and rich colors. Since 2006, she has extended her artistic vision to sculpture transforming the crown shaft of the palm tree into sculptural medium. In 2007 she created her first art installation which was successfully exhibited at the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas where her work has been selected for many of the National biennial juried exhibitions since 2003.
She received awards of excellence in the realm of Fine Art in Washington and the Bahamas. In 2001 she was honored by Miami Children's Hospital for her support of children issues through art.
She has exhibited extensively in the Bahamas and the United States of America since 1994.
She works on the Island of Grand Bahama island where she resides with her husband and children.