Chanel Rapiz is a sculptor and painter who resides in Queens, New York. She has been doing art for 11 years and continues to be active in her artistic exploration. She graduated with honors from the Fashion Institute of Technology Fine Arts Program and had her work first displayed in a group exhibition at the One Art Space Gallery in March 2024. Her art studio is the apartment living room, in which her pet gecko also likes to keep her company. She hopes to gain more gallery exposure as an emerging artist with the intention of bringing smiles through her work.
Artist Statement
I am a NY-based sculpture artist and painter best known for creating small figurative clay sculptures in a surrealistic style. My sculptures depict humanoid figures morphed into each other or into familiar objects; the chubby cheeks and bulbous tummies that are present throughout my work are elements that make them endearing yet strange. I am influenced by horror films, and I constantly use my husband as a muse for most of my work. My sculptures explore playing with what can be considered grotesque and what is cute by experimenting with form. Meanwhile, my paintings explore the facets of mental health through the expressiveness of humanoid characters and color. The goal of my artwork is to bring humor to seriousness and smiles to whoever views it.
