This week’s Greek of the Week is Christion Roney, a senior kinesiology major from Dinwiddie, Virginia. Chris is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., and has a brand named Chris Canvas. In his downtime, Chris enjoys playing 2k, volunteering with his brothers, and perfecting his craft. Chris has done paintings for NFL players Teddy Bridgewater, Sean Mannion, Ian Thomas, and has worked with the clothing brand Cross Colours.
HC: Favorite music genre? CR: I like a lot of different genres, sometimes I’ll listen to 2000s R&B music or even alternative music.
HC: Favorite food? CR: Pizza, it doesn’t matter if its pepperoni or cheese.
HC: Celebrity Crush? CR: Nah, just my lady, we’ve been together for 4 years. (@sheskurly on Instagram)
HC: What is your favorite quote and why? CR: “The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step,” this quote resonates with me a lot. In the past, I have found myself in certain situations where I want to reach a certain point, but I procrastinate. I always realize a few months later that if I just did a bit every day, I would be done. Now, I feel that you should always work towards being better without expecting the finished product so soon.
HC: What is your favorite TV show? CR: I like anime a lot, so my favorite TV show would be Naruto or anything that’s Naruto related.
HC: What made you get into Anime? CR: When I was younger, I had a cousin who would always draw, and the content he created was anime. Since I looked up to him, I also started to draw anime pieces, and that’s how art and anime became hand-and-hand for me.
HC: What motivates you to keep creating art in life? CR: Honestly, I just like to create cool things for cool people. I started creating pieces to share with my friends and family. Now, I am at a place where I want to work with prominent people/companies to help create their vision; and be successful with my art.
HC: What Netflix Show are you binge-watching right now? CR: Don’t have time to binge-watch too much art to create.
HC: What are you most passionate about? CR: I am most passionate about being able to provide for myself and the people I care about. While still being able to live in a way that is conducive to my health.
HC: What is something you think you regret? CR: I regret limiting myself when I started my brand. I feel that when I started, I put myself in a bubble of anime and cartoons; that’s what most people expect me to continue to create now. However, when I do branch out and create pieces I’m more interested in, I feel I don’t receive the same reaction. Which is why I wish I had created more digital or realism artwork when I started.
HC: What made you choose Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.?
CR: I feel that Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., is an organization that promotes individuals who are different, unique, and takes them for what they are instead of trying to make them fit into a mold. I also feel that the brotherhood in my organization is genuine, and the development and personal gain I can get from Sigma is much more rewarding than I could have gotten anywhere else.
HC: What do you plan to do once you graduate Hampton? CR: I plan to find a job in the exercise/rehabilitation field and continue to build my brand. Hopefully, I can get to a point where I don’t need my degree to make money; and can depend on my artwork for a living.
You can follow Chris on Instagram @ChrisCanvas.