My Grant Street Beach series debuts over ten paintings that journey the segregated beach of Cape May, New Jersey. Working from my own family’s photographs and those of other Black families, these works depict joyful, everyday moments of African-American beach goers in Cape May from the 1920s through the 1960s. Energetic mark making in stark contrast with detailed figures dressed in dual-tone color done in oil and mixed media allow the past to speak to the present. Each work explores the complexity and nuance of the human spirit while celebrating generations of Black beach goers as they transition from segregation to making Grant Street Beach a tradition of choice.

Chanelle René is a New Jersey-based, award-winning painter Chanelle René uses bold color and painterly brush strokes to create soulful portraits in oils and mixed media. Her work centers on women of color as she explores themes of diverse beauty, freedom and self-discovery. Chanelle is a self-taught artist who, at age 43, transitioned from a career in digital marketing to full-time painter. Awarded Best of Show at Ocean City Arts Center 2021 Annual Juried Art Show, Chanelle has exhibited widely throughout Southern New Jersey and in global virtual exhibitions. Select media features include The Curator’s Salon, Cape May Magazine, and Soup Can Magazine. Discover more at chanellerene.com or on Instagram.