Meet Chonnessey Bowie (he/him), also known as Chonto, an artist from Oakland, CA. Chonto's paintings depict colorful figures and shapes, created using diverse media intertwined with words on large canvases. 

His creative process is spontaneous. It contrasts the immediacy of automatic painting with historical references. He aims to emphasize the relevance and significance of historical events, using a spectrum of colors to captivate viewers. Chonto's artistic journey follows the traditions and branches of Abstract Expressionism. He transforms inspiration from iconic artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Pablo Picasso, and Rammellzee into his unique practice.

He considers his journey into painting as destiny; explaining that while working a “dead-end hauling job,” he repeatedly stumbled upon paint supplies as part of his assignments. He interpreted it as a sign to take them home and explore their potential. In the final two months of that job, he cleaned out an abandoned artist's loft, stocking up and it felt as if the stars had aligned. Chonto set out on his artistic practice, ultimately quitting his job to follow his passion.

Chonnessey Bowie's art invites us to ponder the hidden narratives that shape our world and to simultaneously discover the beauty in abstract shapes of color. 

As the 2023 artist in residence at Mosa, Chonnessey's art was featured in their SF private dining gallery. His work was also showcased in the group exhibition, "Body Compositions" at Moth Belly Gallery in Nov 2023.

Feature Published: January 05, 2024
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