Chandra Dieppa Ortiz was born in Patterson, New Jersey in 1972, and lives and works in Boston, Massachusetts. She
received her BA from Florida State University, a Post-Baccalaureate degree in Painting from the School of the Museum of
Fine Arts and a Master of Science in Art Education from Massachusetts College of Art.
Ms. Ortiz, known as Dieppa, works in a inter-related series of paintings, mixed media collage, assemblage and works on
paper that explore the historical and contemporary use of storytelling. Dieppa uses musical forms such as Jazz, Blues
and Hip Hop to create complex rhythmic compositions that create emotional environments where fragments, symbols and
images play against textured surfaces.
Her work explores issues of race, class, gender and culture in the hopes of creating a dialogue between communities
and generations by visualizing cultural armor. Dieppa believes that "cultural armor" protects by using love, humor, faith,
music, stories and the telling of home truths to empower and inspire each generation. Currently, Dieppa is interpreting
the works of the late playwright August Wilson through collages that juxtapose the rhythm, dialect and “beautiful
struggle” of the black experience in the 20th century.
Dieppa currently works as an adjunct professor at Massachusetts College of Art and with Boston Public Schools as an Art
Director for Dorchester Academy. She has been recently nominated for the prestigious Foster Prize from the Institute of
Contemporary Art, Boston. In October 2011, Dieppa was awarded the Brother Thomas Fellowship for artistic excellence
and vision.
Dieppa has had solo and group exhibitions at the Museum of the National Center for Afro-American Artists, Boston, MA,
The New Art Center, Newton, MA, La Casa De La Cultura/The Center for Latino Arts, Boston, MA, The Boston Center for the
Arts, Boston, MA, and The Copley Society of Boston.
