Chanell Stone facts for kids

Chanell Stone is an American photographer. She is known for her powerful pictures, especially her series called "Natura Negra." Chanell is a Black artist who lives and works in Oakland, California.

Discovering Photography: Chanell Stone's Journey

Chanell Stone started her journey in photography early. She took an analog photography class in high school. This means she learned to use traditional film cameras. She still uses film today, often with a Pentax camera.

She studied English at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College. She earned an associate degree there in 2017. Later, she got a BFA degree in photography. This was from California College of the Arts in 2019.

Chanell Stone's Art: Exploring Identity and Nature

Chanell Stone's art often features black and white self-portraits. These are pictures she takes of herself. She is very interested in how people are shown in photos. She also explores how we see ourselves.

She says growing up with social media, like Myspace, made her think about this. She realized how important it was to show different kinds of people. Portrait photography is still her main focus.

"Natura Negra": Connecting Black People and Nature

One of Chanell's most famous projects is her series "Natura Negra." This series looks at the link between Black people and nature. She focuses on nature found in busy cities. She calls this "urban nature."

Through "Natura Negra," Chanell wants to show that nature belongs to everyone. She wants to help Black people feel connected to natural spaces. She says, "As Black people, it feels like these rural spaces aren't for us. I want to turn that idea on its head."

She also wants to change old, hurtful ideas. Some people wrongly think Black people's only link to nature is through slavery. Chanell's work helps to correct this. The "Natura Negra" series won her an award. It was the Emerging Artist Award from the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco.

Photography for News and Campaigns

Chanell has also worked as an editorial photographer. This means she takes pictures for magazines and news stories. For example, she worked for the California Sunday Magazine. In 2018, she photographed a family affected by the Camp Fire. This was a huge wildfire in Paradise, California.

In 2021, Apple, Inc. asked Chanell to join their "Shot on iPhone" campaign. This was for Black History Month. She took pictures of Oakland, California. These photos were shown on Apple's Instagram and on billboards. They were seen all around the San Francisco Bay Area.

Awards and Recognition

Chanell Stone has received many honors for her photography. Some of these include:

• 2020 Artist in Residence, Real Time and Space
• 2019–2020 Emerging Artist Award, Museum of the African Diaspora San Francisco
• 2018–2019 Purchase Prize Award, Center for Photography at Woodstock
• 2018–2019 Kate V. and Harry W. Davies Memorial Scholarship, California College of the Arts
• 2017–2019 Diversity Scholarship, California College of the Arts
• 2017–2019 Faculty Honors Scholarship, California College of the Arts

Exhibitions: Where Her Work Has Been Shown

Chanell Stone's photographs have been displayed in many art shows. Some of her exhibitions include:

• Kala Art Institute, Berkeley, California, "Poetics of Conflict" (2018)
• Center for Photography at Woodstock, Woodstock, NY, "Photography Now" (2018)
• Ortega y Gasset Projects, Brooklyn, NY, "Vice Versa" (2018)
• Aperture Foundation, New York, NY, "Aperture Summer Open: Delirious Cities” (2019)
• SF Camerawork, San Francisco, CA, "Forecast" (2019)
• Hit Gallery, San Francisco, CA, "Brass Tacks" (2019)
• Berkeley Art Center, Berkeley, CA "Experiments in the Field: Creative Collaboration in the Age of Ecological Concern” (2020)
• Museum of the African Diaspora, San Francisco, CA, "Natura Negra" (2020)
• Apple, Inc., Shot on iPhone, "Hometown" (2021)

Collections: Where Her Art Lives Permanently

Chanell Stone's work is part of permanent art collections. This means her photos are kept in these places forever. They can be viewed by the public.

• Center for Photography at Woodstock, Woodstock, New York
• Meyer Library: Artist Book Collection, Oakland, California