Beyond

Chanelle René is a New Jersey–based figurative painter whose practice spans installations and large-scale murals. Working with oil paint, acrylic, spray paint, marker, and metal leaf, René is best known for jewel-tone, impressionistic paintings that merge abstract realism with emotionally resonant compositions. Her work balances intuitive mark-making with narrative depth, creating visual experiences that feel both intimate and expansive. René’s work explores identity through the lens of culture, pure self-essence, and the act of (re)claiming spaces. Her subject matter often centers the interior lives and embodied presence of Black women, inviting viewers into moments of reflection, belonging, and quiet power.