Ohso Fabone

Ohso is a self-taught, International mixed media Artist, born & raised in New Orleans, LA! She
grew up in Gert Town, a mid-city neighborhood, home to Xavier University and Blue-Plate Artists’
Lofts (formerly Blue-Plate Mayonnaise Factory). Although her family history is riddled with poverty,
abuse, addiction, estrangement, and transitional homelessness, her work often repeats the themes
of peace, beauty, strength, and growth thru wisdom. Ohso began creating detailed drawings by
the age of three & primarily paints imaginative, 3-D composition portraits of Women of Color, with
“Living Waters” as a prominent, recurring biblical metaphor. As a mixed media artist, she enjoys
incorporating acrylics, airbrushes, celluclay, inks, pastels, fabric paints, and block stamp printing in
her work. Ohso attended the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts – N.O.C.C.A. and is a graduate
of John F. Kennedy Sr. High School. She also studied psychology & fine art at Delgado Community
College in New Orleans, LA. Ohso later graduated with a degree in Computer Graphic Design from
Remington College (formerly Southeast College of Technology) in Metairie, LA, and was inducted
into the Alpha Beta Kappa National Honor Society in 1999.

Although she gained valuable skills while at N.O.C.C.A., the instruction at the time focused on “Old
Masters” so there was a disconnect because she didn’t identify with white, male artists. For a long
time, she was left with the impression that artists lived poor lives and didn’t make money until
after they were dead. Even as a freshman in college, one of her art professors was so impressed by
her portfolio stated, “There is nothing I can teach you.” After this, Ohso found herself in limbo and
considered her art more of a hobby until 1996 when she had her frst gallery experience where she
met “Living Artists!” “They were Talented, Black, Indigenous People of Color that I didn’t even know
existed and my mind was blown! They looked like me, I could make connections and even got some
guidance from them, and it was then I decided to make art my profession!” Over the next few years,
Ohso worked in retail sales and management. In her spare time, she took on a non-paid internship
at The Neighborhood Gallery under the guidance and support of the owners Sandra Berry & Joshua
Walker, while functioning as a Freelance Art Educator & Graphic Designer. In the Spring of 2005 Ohso
founded ArtistiKIDS! An arts program for gifted & talented children! Sadly, the fall of that same year
Hurricane Katrina destroyed her home and business forcing her family to relocate to Texas.
For over 15 years Ohso has worked in the field of education, teaching visual arts, stop-motion
animation, graphic design, and Martial Arts in public schools, private schools, and non-profit
organizations including Remington College, YAYA Inc., My House Inc., Young Audiences, NEISD,
Qkids, and SayABC. Today Ohso is a full-time Artist, Entrepreneur, ESL Contractor, Published Poet,
and co-owner of Peace Keeper Martial Arts Academy with her husband in San Antonio, TX. Ohso’s
work is exhibited throughout the United States and Abroad. Most recently, her work has been
exhibited at Electric City Barn, Schenectady, NY. Brooksville City Hall Gallery 201, Brooksville, FL.
Pablo Center at the Confuence in Eau Clair, WI. InterUrban Arthouse, Overland Park, KS. GLH
Gallery, Houston, Texas. Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital Viewpoint Gallery, Schenectady,
NY. Spellman Museum of Forney History, Forney, TX, and Zari Gallery in London, UK.

Ohso is on the Autism spectrum with Asperger’s Syndrome. She also suffers from Dystonia &
Osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is irreversible & symptoms often develop slowly and worsen
over time. It can damage any joint, but it primarily afects her hands. Dystonia is a
neurological hyper kinetic movement disorder in which involuntary muscle contraction
results in twisting or abnormal fixed postures; however, she remains active & productive as
an Internationally Collected Artist.