Neto (Ernesto) Atkinson is a Guatemalan-born American painter born on June 11th, 1981. In 2007 Atkinson began his artistic training and received a BFA from North Dakota State University and a master’s degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago with a Master of Arts in Art Therapy in 2014.

Neto Atkinson is known professionally as Ernesto Atkinson in the Mental Health field of art therapy where he uses art as a way to become a witness to his participant's personal growth by engaging in an adaptive and creative path of self-exploration.

Neto’s passion for art and art making grew out of his desire to capture awe and wonder on his canvas. He is a revolutionary of color and an alchemist of the paintbrush; a gardener of artistic seeds, that explores the neutrality of things in their natural state. He has demonstrated an extraordinary artistic talent as he embarks on every new journey to different cultures, exploring his understanding of the human connection and art, which solidifies his belief that art is and active agent of change.

Neto is an exceptionally prolific painter whose creative achievements and revolutionary artistic accomplishments focus on the representation of the contemporary movement of his own existence and experience. His artistic representations are based on his daily life, and on his own philosophy. Neto is considered a colorful poet who leaves a message of peace, love, wonder and awe with each color and stroke on a canvas.