Sontonya Necheal is a self-taught mixed media artist based in Irving, Texas whose canvas illustrates her life experiences. Her work is unapologetic and rich in color and fabrics with layered textures of emotion, capturing the rawness of her natural gift. She uses spray paint, pastels, charcoal, acrylic, fabric and handmade paper to express the complex emotions that her art is meant to convey. 

Sontonya’s work comes from a place of brokenness, abuse, hardships and the strength found in her faith, forcing the audience to take pause to study every square inch and depth of her pieces. She has lived a life full of challenges, including the loss of her son Rashaun, whom Sontonya describes as having a smile as big as Texas and as bright as the Northern Star. She is also a survivor of mental, physical and narcissistic abuse.

Her obsession with faces forces her to see those images in odd places like trees and wood that she turns into beautiful art. She believes in coloring outside the lines and embracing the beauty in her artist mistakes.

A servant heart, Sontonya strives to be an inspiration to all women everywhere. She encourages them to love and live for themselves…unapologetically.

Sontonya’s art has been featured in many galleries, colleges and hotels in and around the Dallas/ Fort Worth area. Her work is being displayed at the Morris Smithsonian Museum in Morristown, New Jersey until September, 2023. Sontonya was also featured internationally in March, 2023 in a residency at Chateau Orqueveaux in Paris, France.