Chessa Piker-Ward has a background in dance, theater and visual arts. She received her B.A. from U.C.S.C in Theater Arts. She has studied dance at the Alvin Ailey Institute, Motion Pacific and the Dance Mission Theater. She has been painting since she was twelve years old and took classes on portrait painting and figure drawing from the Art Students League of New York City. She feels that art is therapy and encourages everyone to do it as much and as often as possible.