Chantal Elise

Manic Depression

Watercolor self-portrait

"Figurative art helps me contextualize the experience of unpacking myself and the world around me. I unpack my experiences and how the shape of my body is connected to the way I am perceived. I unpack the labels placed on me by others and the labels I place on myself. The body is home. The body is political. The body is a physical and psychological landscape.

My art seeks to use the body as a vehicle to express the themes of identity and trauma; to reclaim the power that has been forcibly taken from me by a world determined to shrink and mold me. I believe that everything I create, regardless of the subject matter, is a self-portrait; a reflection of me."

– Chantal Elise (Hales)

About the artist

Chantal Elise

Chantal Elise is a queer nonbinary artist originally from San Clemente, and currently living in Northern Orange County. Chantal’s work utilizes a sickly-sweet color palette – bright shades of orange and pink in particular – to juxtapose traditional approaches to the often lowbrow subject matter in an ever-evolving exploration of generational identity, nostalgia, and existentialism. They have exhibited work throughout California, Washington, and Arizona, and personally curated DIY shows around Orange County. Chantal Elise has an extensive background in fine arts and education and believes in radically accessible collaboration between artists. In February, 2023, they founded OC Pulp, an arts collective building community amongst Orange County creatives of all disciplines. Chantal can be found befriending passersby, walking their dog around town, or serenading the ocean with their red ukulele at your local beach.