Art often takes inspiration from the natural world, but in this case, nature becomes part of the art. When experimenting with different art styles, Chanell Pinkney found a new medium in an unexpected place: a rock collection. This discovery led her on a new path and challenged her to embrace slowing down.
Chanell Pinkney has been creating art for as long as she can remember. She was formally trained as a graphite artist and focused primarily on realism. But during the pandemic, something shifted. Chanell became drawn to abstract art. She found that it gave her room to explore and escape during a time of uncertainty. In 2021, she started her business, Chanell Joy Fine Art, and hasn’t looked back since.
After leaning into abstract, Chanell began exploring a more natural method of painting. One day, Chanell noticed that the rocks she kept from her travels left behind their colors on clothing. She began to wonder, what would happen if she used these natural materials to create her own paint? And so, the experiment began. Chanell begins the lengthy process by crushing rocks down into a fine powder and making a binder to combine the rock pigment into paint.
After loving the results, Chanell began using rocks from around the globe to create unique colors. She became fascinated with the rich history of painting with natural elements from cultures around the world.
Chanell is excited to release her new art collection this winter. The global collection uses paint made from rocks found in France, Italy, Uganda, Poland, Japan, Indonesia and the United States.
When asked what she likes best about what she does, Chanell said that she loves how the very process of grinding the rocks to extract their pigment causes her to slow down. It’s the artistic version of stopping to smell the roses, she said. She loves the attention to detail and the vivid, natural colors. She appreciates the fact that these creations are “art rooted in the earth.”
Within her work, Chanell explores the connection humans have with art and finds beauty in the ordinary and flawed. She wants appreciators of her art to take the opportunity to be present and enjoy the natural beauty around them.
In addition to her collection, Chanell does commissions. Her clients often send her rocks from meaningful trips, such as sand and shells from their honeymoon, or rocks from their first family vacation, to be made into pigment for their painting, she said. It makes the process even more meaningful.
Chanell has done collaborations with Area Environment Wallcoverings, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Club, Four Seasons hotel, Nestle headquarters and Starbucks headquarters. Chanell is grateful for how her business has grown in ways she didn’t expect. She loves what she does and enjoys incorporating fond memories and nature into her work.
Chanell shares the fascinating paint-making process on her Instagram, @Chanelljoyfineart. Email subscribers will get early access to new works and commission openings.
Her new art collection will be available as of Friday, Nov. 13. To learn more about her upcoming collection, see her Facebook page and her website, https://chanelljoyfineart.com.
