Chanie Chanin
I grew up in London, England, and made my home in Crown Heights after I married. Today my house is full — children, canvases, and the music that seems to find its way into everything I make.
I've been an artist as long as I can remember. I paint from a place of deep emotion and faith, drawing on Judaic and biblical themes. When I'm not at the easel, I teach art to young students and share my work with women through story and song.
Why each painting has a story
A painting can be beautiful and still say nothing. I never wanted that. Before I begin, I ask what a canvas is for — a word I can't stop thinking about, a place I ache for, a moment of faith I want to hold onto.
Only then do I start to paint. Some pieces come in a week. Others take months of stepping back and waiting until they feel true. When someone stands in front of one and feels something rise in them — that's the whole point.
That's why every piece in this gallery comes with its story. The painting is the beginning of the conversation. The story is the rest of it.