About Me

Che'Ryse Edwards: Independent Contemporary Artist

As an Independent Contemporary Artist fresh out of college, passionate about exploring color, form, and emotion through a variety of styles and mediums. My work is a reflection of constant experimentation and growth, blending academic foundations with a bold, personal creative voice. I'm currently building my portfolio and sharing my journey one piece at a time.

My artwork is rooted in vibrant color palettes and dynamic compositions, often blending abstract and representational elements to evoke across multiple mediums, including digital illustration, acrylic painting, watercolor, and mixed media. This versatility allows me to adapt my style to suit each concept, whether it’s a bold digital piece or a textured canvas painting. Much of my work explores themes of identity and self-discovery, using color and form to reflect inner experiences and cultural influences. My creative process is driven by experimentation and a constant desire to push the boundaries of visual expression.

Welcome! I’m Che’Ryse Edwards—an independent artist from Greensboro, North Carolina, currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Studio Art at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Art has always been a powerful outlet for me, a way to express emotion, tell stories, and explore the world through my own lens. My academic journey has not only given me a strong foundation in technique and theory but has also helped me grow as a thinker, collaborator, and creative problem-solver. 

My artistic practice is centered around the exploration of color, emotion, and identity. I enjoy experimenting with a variety of mediums—digital illustration, acrylic painting, watercolor, and mixed media—to bring my concepts to life. Each piece I create reflects a different part of my journey and personal growth. My work is often bold and expressive, blending abstract and representational elements to convey deeper meaning and connect with viewers on an emotional level. Whether I’m layering textures on canvas or fine-tuning details on a digital piece, I aim to push creative boundaries and keep evolving in my craft.

Themes of self-discovery, empowerment, and culture play a big role in my work. I’m inspired by the strength of women, the beauty of everyday life, and the complexity of identity, especially as a young Black woman navigating both personal and academic spaces. My time as a student assistant at the UNCP Art Gallery has given me hands-on experience in the professional art world, helping me understand the importance of presentation, curation, and the business side of being an artist. It’s also shown me how art can bring people together and create space for conversation and reflection.

As I continue toward my graduation in May 2025, I’m focused on growing my portfolio, connecting with other creatives, and seeking new opportunities to share my voice through art. My goal is to keep creating work that resonates, challenges norms, and inspires others—while staying true to my passion, my process, and my purpose as an artist.

What I Do Best

Traditional Art

Traditional art has always been at the core of my creative journey and continues to influence everything I make. I view it as the foundation of all art—teaching essential principles like composition, color theory, and form that guide my decisions across every medium I work with. Whether I’m painting with acrylics, sketching by hand, or creating digital illustrations, I carry the discipline and structure of traditional techniques into each piece. This foundation allows me to experiment freely while staying grounded in strong artistic values. My work blends these time-honored methods with modern expression, creating a balance between technical skill and personal storytelling.

Painting

Painting is one of the most personal and expressive parts of my artistic practice. I’m drawn to the way paint allows for both control and spontaneity—how a single brushstroke can shift the tone or emotion of a piece. I primarily work with acrylics, gaouche watercolors, using bold colors and layered textures to bring my ideas to life. Each painting I create is a reflection of my mood, experiences, or themes I’m exploring—often centered around identity, emotion, and transformation. Through painting, I’m able to translate abstract thoughts into visual stories, creating work that not only speaks to others but helps me better understand myself.

Digital Media

Digital art represents a fusion and art, creativity, and technology. It allows artists like me to experiment freely, undo mistakes without fear, and bring to life visuals that might be impossible with traditional mediums. I see it not just as a new form of expression, but as a constantly evolving language that speaks to the digital age we live in. Whether it’s for storytelling, self-expression, or design, digital art empowers anyone with a screen and an idea to create something impactful and unique. Digital art is a less time-consuming way to create, reproduce, and distribute artwork since it eliminates the need for physical materials and allows instant editing, saving, and printing.