Jose Fontanez was born and raised in Waterbury, Connecticut. While Waterbury has always been his home, he has traveled and lived in areas such as West Palm Beach, Florida, Springfield, Massachusetts, and Houston, Texas. He currently resides with his family in Waterbury Connecticut.

 

Jose grew up in a community of minorities, mainly Hispanic and African American culture. He recalls his community as a “rough ghetto”. This culture and disenfranchised experience is creatively expressed in his work. He is a self-taught folk artist. Jose has studied art his whole life, within his experiences and travels. He started painting on any surface he could find in 2006. Jose enjoys working with acrylic and oil paint, as well as mixed media. He signs most of his art as Cheffont, a name his high school peers gave him from his first craft, Culinary Arts. He has worked with Freight Street Gallery in Waterbury, Connecticut and has unveiled his artwork in several of their gallery’s art shows. Jose also showcased his art work at Wildflour Confections a Shop in Seymour, Connecticut, and he worked with teachers from Ansonia Public Schools and displayed his artwork at their schools. He presented his first solo art show on Bradley Ave in Waterbury, Connecticut where he incorporated his artwork with the beautiful landscape of his city.