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Vincent Abraham ‘Chenté’ Chavez
Vincent Abraham Chavez, or Chenté as he was known to his family and friends, was a self-taught artist.
“An amazing one,” his sister-in-law and friend Sandy told the San Manuel Miner in an interview.
He worked in watercolors and pencil, often drawing from photos.
At the time of his death, Chenté was preparing to go back to college. Classes were set to begin Jan. 17 at the University of Visual Arts in Tucson.
A portrait of Rita Pena by her son Vincent Chavez.
Chenté’s mom, Rita Peña said he found the school on his own five years ago. He toured the school in 2012, but was unable to start right away because he didn’t have his GED. He started attending night school and working with Nancy Berry to get ready to take his GED exam.
Chenté had some run ins with the law, spent some time in jail and prison, but with the thought of going to art school, he seemed to be turning a corner.
Chenté had gotten more involved with his church. Living Word Chapel and had even been baptized. He was raised in Living Word Chapel, his mom said, when it was “up on the hill” as the Tri-Community Christian Fellowship.
“But the old lifestyle got him by the collar,” Rita said.
She explained that one night in December 2013, she and the family had gone to bed leaving Chenté drawing at the kitchen table. The next morning she was awakened with a phone call from Chenté. He told her he was in San Manuel and that he’d been arrested for theft of a vehicle.
His family still has a hard time understanding how the events that night came about.
Chenté was convicted of the theft and sentenced to prison. He did his time and was released in October 2017. He immediately enrolled in classes at the University of Visual Arts and purchased all his books and supplies, ready to start learning.
Vincent Chavez works at his kitchen table.
“He made a big change in his life,” his mom said.
But sometimes it’s hard for people to see the changes.
On the evening of Dec. 16, 2017, First Responders and deputies from the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office were called to a residence near his brother’s home in Oracle. When they arrived, they found Chenté dead. The deputies treated his death as possibly being drug-related, citing his recent release from prison.
“They don’t leave room for people to change,” Rita said.
Chenté’s death certificate states that he died after choking on his food.
The investigation has left his family struggling to explain his death to his beloved nieces and nephews. Memories and the few drawings and paintings are all they have left of him.
“He had one of the biggest hearts ever,” said Sandy.
The Oracle Moon, a watercolor by Vincent Chavez
Sandy and Rita scrolled through their phones looking for photos of his art and videos of him when he was alive.
Rita said that in the two months after his release from prison and before his death, he constantly begged her to “Take my picture, Mom.” In looking at the myriad of photos for which he had posed, many were taken with the blue sky in the background, leading her to believe that God was trying to tell her that He would soon be seeing Chenté in heaven.
The two ladies reminisced when they discovered a video of Chenté presenting a special “Niño” award to his goddaughter Luciana.
That day, Luciana’s siblings had both received awards at school. Luciana hadn’t received an award. Chenté thought that was wrong and sought to rectify it, creating the “Niño” award. He hand lettered a poster-sized certificate and presented it to her in front of the whole family.
Luciana has it on her wall in her bedroom, her mom Sandy said.
The video of Luciana singing “Amazing Grace” at Chenté’s funeral service had both ladies tearing up. His father accompanied her on his guitar.
Chenté was cremated and his ashes remain with his mother. His art is exhibited in her home, where she can see it every day.
A portrait of Rita Pena’s cat by Vincent Chavez
There are news or informational items frequently written by staff or submitted to the Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner, Superior Sun, Pinal Nugget or Oracle Towne Crier for inclusion in our print or digital products. These items are not credited with an author.
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