The Artist

    Jonatas DaSilva was born in the city of Brasilia - Brazil. The artist moved to the United States at the age of 16 with his family, and it was soon in his artistic career that he adopted the artistic name of Jonatas Chimen, in honor of his artistic late great-grandfather Luiz Gimenes, born in the district of Andaluzia - Spain. 

    Jonatas follows the European Realistic style, highly influenced by the Spanish and the Baroque techniques, which evoke dramatic compositions, deep and rich colors, and extreme lights in dark backgrounds. His themes make historical references to the Iberian, Latin-American, and Judeo-Spanish cultures, making use of symbolism as a frequent tool of communication in his paintings. 

    The artist was formally introduced to the arts at the age of 12 at the Centro Livre de Artes of the Bosque dos Buritis, in the city of Goiania - Brazil, where he was instructed in drawing,  dry media, and composition by Prof. David.  As a young man, the artist was also interested in Sequential Art, reason for which he joined the workshop of the Graphic Novelist Edgar Franco, where he participated in the creation and in the in-depth study of graphic novels.  But it was in the United States where Jonatas came into contact with the European Realistic style. At the age of 18 he joined the Art Institute of Weston, as one of the first students of Conchita Firgau, a graduate from Escuela Superior De Bellas Artes of San Fernando, Madrid - Spain, whose alumni include Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali. Jonatas was a pupil of Firgau for a period of four years, and eventually became an instructor and assistant for the Institute.

    Once Chimen's family relocated to the city of Boca Raton, West Palm Beach - Florida, Jonatas founded the atelier named "The Art Studio", where he held monthly art functions and daily art classes. As the number of students increased, he expanded into a larger space located at Royal Palm plaza, which he named "Jonny Del'Art", and it served as a Café, Gallery, and Art Studio. There, Chimen held a number of community events, including musical and visual arts functions.

    Chimen's paintings have won the recognition of important galleries in the South Florida region, such as Genesis, Eleven Eleven, and Exor. The media also has given significant attention to his works. In 2007 he was featured in a four-page spread of the Art Issue of the Boca Observer Magazine, and  Linha Aberta Magazine published an article which named the artist as one of the "heavy names" of the Brazilian Arts in South Florida, along with Romero Brito, Naza, and Joarez Filho. In 2008, his Studio "Jonny De'Art" was featured by the Boca Raton magazine in the article "What's in Store?", and in 2009, the Parklander Magazine wrote a 2-page review for the article "Art with Turbulent Roots".

   The Artist has also been to a number of T.V shows from various channels, such as the show "Cafe da Manha com Leila Cordeiro" (Breakfast with Leila Cordeiro) at TVBrasil, and more recently to the show Vinheta Art & Gourmet with Chef Henrique, at RIT TV USA. In 2009, Jonatas Chimen's paintings were part of the limited selection of artwork from the Exor Galleries to participate in the internationally acclaimed ArtExpo, in the city of New York. 

    Chimen is also interested in political issues, civic engagement, and community participation. Besides his love for the arts, he studied Political Sciences at Broward College, then transferred to Nova Southeastern University for the Legal Studies major, and in 2010 the artist was admitted into the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Jonatas believes in the betterment of society by promoting the arts and showing contribution through actions that may benefit the community at large, making his paintings, prints, and art courses available for fundraisers for a number of charity and art organizations. He has participated with MECE, in its Annual Silent Auction that supports early childhood education, the Boca Raton Museum of Art's Annual Benefit Auction, the Children's Home Society's event "Art 4 Charity, at the Josephine S. Leiser Opera Center, and with the American Cancer Society. In 2010,  Jonatas founded the organization "Charitable Acts of Art" with a small group of artists, which aims to promote the arts while contributing to noble causes within society. The first event of the CAA was at the Starbucks of Mizner Plaza - Boca Raton, on February 28th, 2010, which raised money for the Haiti Relief through the American Red Cross.