I am THEZONKYGIRL, formally known as Carmel.

I am a Congolese, Long Beach-based, painter, visual designer, and DJ. I have been painting consistently since 2015, and in 2020 began to digitally share my creations with the world. I draw inspiration from my unique cultural upbringing, which has allowed me to create original and distinctive art. 

My mission is to encourage my community and society to embrace their individuality and what makes them different.

ZONKY is slang for odd; weird.

A zonk[e]y is the rare hybrid cross of a donkey and a zebra.

Both definitions describe a part of who I am and what I relate to.

THEZONKYGIRL was created in 2015 when I decided to own & accept how different I was from everyone around me. I gained the courage to stop being who society, family and friends expected me to be. Mostly, I realized I didn’t have to be one idea. I can be countless ideas, I can like multiple different things, I can have & explore different interests and I can look like a different person every day if I want to. It is not always black or white. It can be both. there can be both. I can be both & I am both.

YOU can too.

So, stay weird, odd, and different. STAY ZONKY.