Cheryl Henos

I’m a self-taught emerging artist from Atlanta. I hand-paint my black and white photography, an intricate art form born out of necessity prior to the invention of color film and digital photography but rarely practiced today.

I was in the radio, music and media industries for over 30 years, many at Atlanta’s beloved 96rock before retiring to pursue my art. I couldn’t decide between my black and white photography or painting, both of which I have practiced many years. So, my journey began. I spent over a year as a “mad scientist” and researcher figuring out how to combine both.

As soon as black and white photography was invented in the mid-1800s, artists in Europe and Japan began to color it. The artform became popular in the US in the 1930s. After color film was invented in 1936, hand-coloring was still common until color film became widely available in the 1970s. With the popularity and affordability of digital cameras and editing software in the mid-to-late 1990s, the art form all but disappeared.

I paint my black and white photographs with a variety of mediums including oils, pastels, watercolors, pencils and acrylic glazes. My subject matter covers a wide range but is almost always in a natural setting and rarely planned. I am especially inspired by the unexpected, the beauty of the Alabama Gulf Coast, am fascinated by bridges, love cars and roadside attractions. I can make a stormy day sunny or a field of purple flowers turn red. I usually paint a portion of my photograph leaving the remainder up to the viewer’s imagination. My intention is to invite the audience to create their own story through my composition, movement and use of color.

My photography is painted by hand. The color is not digitally generated. My work can be painted in different colors and sizes. Each piece is an original.

If you prefer one of my pieces painted in a different color or size, I am happy to hand-paint my photographs to your specifications. I also do custom photography to paint.

Commissions welcome.