Loiter Pop-Up Galleries joins the Long Beach Business District.

"Art is Business" https://www.loitergalleries.com/about-us.

Established in 2018, Loiter Galleries' mission is to support local underserved artists by providing affordable gallery space, promotion, and general support even during the most challenging times. We also serve the business community and our Long Beach neighborhoods by filling vacant storefronts with art and optimism. 

We believe that art is a powerful tool in the evolution of neighborhoods and cities. And that the accessibility of art is of the utmost importance. 

 Additionally, Loiter Galleries fills a void. Mainly serving the various needs of underserved artists. The programs we develop directly assist the business district and the arts community. We supply affordable gallery showcases, marketing, supplies, meeting space, art business advice, and emotional support for the artists. Conversely, we aid local property owners by converting dark, empty spaces with art and positive activity. As a result, artists finally have a venue to display their art and receive the support they need to learn how to be successful. In addition, the property owners sell/lease their spaces more quickly via our projects' brightness, activity, and popularity.

Another core audience, naturally, is art lovers and supporters. We serve them by presenting them with artists we discover who are out of the mainstream. Although some of our artists are established, the shows they create tend to be more adventurous and push the boundaries. Again, this occurs through our direction and collaboration.

Many of our visitors have never been in a gallery previously.

Alpha Bruton, Chief Curator for the Phantom Gallery Chicago, has contracted services with the team at Loiter Galleries in Long Beach and is an art partner and cohort with a board of directors member Liza Simone with Space in the Gap, presenting  Popup Research Station CAFE. We welcome Loiter Galleries to our Network of Phantom Galleries. 

IN THE NEWS: C. Lee Cutchens, Community Contributor Verified User Badge

Posted Mon, Jun 4, 2018, at 7:42 pm PT

https://patch.com/california/longbeach-ca/loiter-pop-galleries-host-grand-opening-june-9-dtlb

Loiter Galleries has announced the grand opening of its newest pop-up collaborative, "Loiter Pop Up Galleries," on June 9 from 5–10 pm at The Streets, 375 North Promenade in Downtown Long Beach. While supporting local artists, guests will enjoy art discussions and refreshments and two-hour free parking at nearby public parking garages.

Led by Long Beach artists Vinny Picardi, Fine Art Photographer, and Monica Fleming, Painter, the "Loiter Pop Up Galleries" will run into the summer. Pop Up galleries provides local artists with a location to showcase their work at a low or no cost opportunity.

"We will be the debut artists of what will hopefully be the first of many pop-up gallery showcase opportunities for Long Beach artists in temporarily available storefronts," said Picardi and Fleming, co-proprietors of Loiter Galleries. "As cities redevelop, available gallery space is out of reach for most artists. We aim to ensure Long Beach artists always have a venue to present their work."

Art is a powerful tool in the evolution of neighborhoods and cities, and the Loiter Galleries Pop-Up project's goal is to aid in the responsible growth and progress of a city through art. Its purpose is two-fold: it creates temporary galleries in available spaces and serves to support local artists and their messages.

"We welcome Loiter Galleries to The Streets and look forward to their artists' showcase in our Downtown shopping center," said Tony Shooshani, Managing Member of Shooshani Developers. "Their presence will engage guests, residents, and employees with a unique local art experience in a central location."

STILL SEARCHING Art Exhibit - by Artist Damon Lamar Reed

"Art is Business" Join artist Damon Lamar Reed in his quest to bring missing Black women in Chicago home through the Still Searching project. Bit.ly/still_searching

 STILL SEARCHING Art Exhibit - The Artisan Collective - South Shore Chamber of Commerce by Artist Damon Lamar Reed

About this event

This Black History Month, experience a vivid series of portraits of missing Black women and girls in the Chicagoland area at the Still Searching exhibit by Damon Lamar Reed, a prolific Chicago hip-hop artist, and muralist.

On February 25, between 6pm - 9pm, join to learn more about this project, raising awareness about missing black women in Chicago. See the portraits and then catch a sneak peek of the upcoming documentary on the project, which has received funding from Hulu through the Hulu/Kartemquin Accelerator Program.

This event is free to the public with a suggested donation of $10 per attendee. Proceeds from prints, raffles, and donations will go to the Still Searching project to support public artwork that raises awareness of missing women in Chicago.

Refreshments will be served.

About Damon Lamar Reed

There's truth to the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. Artist Damon Lamar Reed brings that truth to reality. From hip-hop to public art, he strives to create messages that reach the depth of the human condition.

After graduating from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Damon began his career as an artist and entrepreneur. To date, he has created over 280 public art projects, including works for Super Bowl 46, Showtime(The Chi), Gatorade, the Chicago Blackhawks, Ticketmaster, and Sears, to name a few. His work is featured in books such as Kym Pinders', Painting the Gospel: Public Art and Religion in Chicago. During the George Floyd riots, the BBC featured Damon's art's impact; recently, News Nation, ABC, CBS, WGN, and NBC featured him because of his latest series, Still Searching, where he paints portraits of missing women in Chicagoland. He is also filming a documentary with the same name backed by Hulu, Kartemquin Films, and Still, I Rise Films.

From Bronzeville to Beverly: One Artist’s Black History Inspiration

"Art is Business"  reposted an original article by Kristin Boza

Rhonda Hardy’s parents were born in Louisiana. As children, their families were part of the Great Migration, the historic movement of an estimated six million African Americans from the South to urban areas in the Midwest, Northeast, and West. Many African Americans who came to Chicago from the South, including Hardy’s grandparents and parents, settled in Bronzeville.  

Hardy’s rich family history inspires her art. The Bronzeville Babies series is focused on historical clothing and styles, and Urban Comforts is a textile line influenced by African stamps and motifs. 

“When I was growing up, I listened to the stories told by my parents, grandparents, and aunts,” Hardy said. “I internalized all of the stories about who they came up with during the Great Migration, what they did when they got here, and where they worked. It was a natural progression for me as I got older to begin doing more research on African American history.” 

Hardy began her journey at what is now known as the DuSable Museum of African American History, which at the time was The Ebony Museum of Negro History and Art located in curator/artist/educator/writer/activist Margaret Taylor Burroughs’ home on the South Side.  

As a student at Southern Illinois University, Hardy earned a bachelor’s degree in clothing and textiles and a master’s in African and African American culture. Her master’s thesis focused on the designs of African fabrics and clothing styles of African Americans.  

“I documented what was worn by the slaves, by people during the Reconstruction period, and the styles worn during the Black empowerment movement of the 1960s,” Hardy said. She eventually began working for the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Extension campus conducting outreach in predominantly Black neighborhoods in Chicago.  

After retirement, Hardy was able to focus once again on her art and fashion. A Beverly/Morgan Park resident, Hardy remains very connected to the Bronzeville neighborhood. As a re-emerging artist, she created a series of soft-sculpted dolls commemorating the Great Migration for a Bronzeville exhibit.  

“I have eight different dolls in my line and they each have their own name and story,” Hardy said. “With my fashion background, I’ve been able to make patterns and clothing for the dolls that help tell their story. All of the clothing is as authentic as possible; the biggest challenge is finding the right fabrics worn during the doll’s time period. The dolls and their clothing make a statement about where they were and what they were thinking during a period in our history.” 

The Pullman Porter doll wears an authentic replica of the Pullman Porter uniform. Hardy used the doll during an artist-in-residence program at The Nautilus School, 1917 W. 93rd St., to teach the history of Pullman. 

The Urban Comforts line consists of tea towels, wall hangings, pillows, and tablecloths made from African-inspired prints designed by Hardy and created through a stamp printing process.  

Hardy’s work inspires others to share their stories. “I participated in a few Beverly Art Walks and people would see my work and just start talking about their own communities and where their family was from,” she said. “We’re all grounded in history, and we have our own story that makes up who we are as a person.” 

Hardy’s work can currently be found at Made Artisan Collaborative, 1802 W. 103rd St., or online at RhondaHardyDesigns.com. 

Sweet Fruit Falling A SPATIAL ORATORIO FROM THE OPERA BALDWIN CHRONICLES: LONE ALCHEMY

Thanks to the artist in resident Renee Baker for having the vision to bring the project to Bronzeville and record in the Loft Gallery of the Phantom Gallery Chicago Network.  The artwork installed is the sculpture installations of  Renee Baker, "Because we are Nature," featuring her junk drawer series. Visual art is the collection of the gallery.

A CITY OF WORKS EPISODE

SWEET FRUIT FALLING, A SPATIAL ORATORIO FROM THE OPERA BALDWIN CHRONICLES: LONE ALCHEMY

This moment in the life of James Baldwin represents temporality, impermanence, the futility of dreams, and reckoning with the finality of inequality of life in the USA for Black Americans. Baldwin realizes that never will people of color achieve equity or equality in his lifetime..the boxes for blacks and whites have been set..with civil rights almost non-existent.

CAST

RENEE BAKER

Composer

 

DEE ALEXANDER

Performer

 

COCO ELTSSES

Percussion

 

LUV MOSLEY

Saxophone

Artistic Team

Concept/Director

George Cederquist

Concept/Commissioning/Music Direction

Catherine O'Shaughnessy

Concept/Editor

Brad Caleb Le

Chicago Fringe Opera is dedicated to presenting innovative vocal works emphasizing new and contemporary styles, engaging with the Chicago community through intimate and immersive performance experiences, and fostering and empowering local artists. Chicago Fringe Opera is at the forefront of producing dynamic contemporary vocal works in the city of Chicago.

A City of Works – an oblique reference to former Mayor Richard J. Daley's moniker for Chicago – combines the power of music and design in a series of site-specific digital experiences. Evoking the ethereal nature of theatre itself, audiences embark on individual journeys to landmarks throughout our city, unlocking audio and video content and joining a collective experience to watch performances through individual personal devices.

Arriving at specific locations, audiences scan a QR code on their smartphone to access a music video of a given newly commissioned work, the piece having been filmed at that locale, creating a fleeting yet shared theatrical experience. Thus, the project eliminates the need to gather groups of people while leaving content both free of charge and accessible at any time to audiences.

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

Supported by The MacArthur Funds for Arts and Culture at The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation & The CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events.

Larissa Johnson-Akinremi - Her Legacy by Paula Robinson

"Art is Business" - Post from Paula Robinson- It is with sadness to learn of Larissa's passing 06/14/2021

                                                            Larissa Johnson-Akinremi

I loved that she would get on a plane, a train, or bus

to attend a music festival

she was a great DJ

and once DJ'd for us on aboard  a double-decker trolley

from her portable amplified suitcase

in the Bud Billiken Parade

I loved how her friends were international 

generational 

from her young people at the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club 

to her seniors at Rosenwald Courts 

and that she knew that giving time,

spending time is a gift

that would make you look forward to 

wanting me, having more... until the next time

I loved how she embraced the magic of 

children learning

discovering, and creating art.

teaching is an art form. 

she showed young people that they are

makers and creators of their own dreams

the rain sticks, the dream pillows, the blinged 

hand mirrors were her craft

I loved how she was a lifelong learner

that her enterprise was called "the social move."

the installations that she curated 

the exhibits for Juneteenth 

the underground RailRoad dioramas 

the commemorations at the Great Migration Bridge,

and lakefront tribute for the Chicago's Red Summer 

her outdoor sensory experiences with watermelon tastings

the bird walks in the park 

I loved how she constantly recreated herself

with the color of the day

the earring and dress combinations 

the hairstyle the adornment 

the lips of blue, purple, and green

always of a kiss of mystic 

body paint or henna

permission to be free

but only a small peace tattoo

at her collar bone

inked the deal

I loved how 

everybody's birthday

was too important to miss

I loved how when she needs to see you

and too much time would pass

she would say, where are you

and come to you

she met folks where they were

she was curious and interested in 

space and places that they were 

occupying 

she discovered your world

I loved that she had the fortitude for 

a fight, if it must be had

how she could write you and read you

if need be 

a new job was just a part of her journey

and her cover letters for a job application 

were composed

you might hire her

but you would never employ all of her

nor should you expect to 

and you might only understand that

during the exit interview

she knew who she was

I loved how she had a big family 

a global son that she called her "Sun."

and a Husbae -- her love and comfort

bu also had room for her art family,

her music family, her work family, 

her film family, her new project family

and her next family and now her

heavenly family 

I loved Larissa 

in our Bronzeville Family 

she was our number one daughter 

she was our girl.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/mqqwWSK1QjaKTXED9

Bronzeville Art District November Virtual Open Studio, Cesar Conde

"Creative Conversation", artists speaking about their art practice, November 20, 2020, focuses on

 Open Virtual Studio, "Creative Conversation"- Artist Cesar Conde.

"in·sight /ˈinˌsīt/ the capacity to gain an accurate and deep intuitive understanding of a person or thing:

intuition, perception, awareness, discernment, understanding, ... "

Cesar Conde 

Cesar Conde was born on September 23, 1963, in the Philippines. He came to Seattle in the early '70s when his family emigrated to the United States. Both his parents were white-collared professionals. Conde went to a public school in Seattle and was part of the first busing integration program. However, his first year of schooling was in Chicago's west side, where he was exposed to African-American, Latino and Polish communities. He grew up pressured to assimilate into the American culture in order to survive.

Travel exposed Conde to different cultures, which is reflected in his art. He learned to draw in Florence, Italy, and studied painting in Monflanquin, France.

Exhibitions:

Southside Weekly said "Conde's art is an art that does, and when looking at his portraits, one cannot help but feel that art can and must do things for us, that it must be strong, not flimsy. Indeed, that is Conde's whole goal: to remind us of the hard truths under the surface of our biases and judgments, lest we forget what happened to Trayvon," Jake Bittle, November 20, 2013

His work is featured in the Chicago Contemporary.

 "The film". 13 November 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2016.

 "Cesar Conde Art". Archived from the original on 23 April 2011. Retrieved 15 February 2016.

 "South Side Weekly"

 "Chicago Contemporary". Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2016

Coming soon.  Join us on December 18m, 2020  7pm - 8pm

Phantom Gallery: http://bit.ly/Phantom_Tour Meeting ID: 859 7433 6882

 Virtual Open Studio featuring:

Renee Baker- Experimental Film 

Post Modernism:

Lois Stone

Phillip Cotton

The Phantom Gallery will look at how the city influences art, and artists transform the city by contributing to civic dialogue and quality of life. These installations will produce "Creative Conversations" presenting artists speaking about their art.

2020 Program virtual gallery openings will focus on Examining the State of Our Environment- and having conversations with artists in their studios. 

The aim of the Phantom is to examine changes in current curatorial production and to develop innovative displays in relation to virtual spaces. "Curatorial Practice" explores the impact of the urban environment on the artist and their work, and the contributions that artists make to the vitality of a city. The place where art is imagined and made, whether in a physical or virtual space, affects the idea, the process, and the final product. 

B. Ra-El Ali Thunder Zoom Virtual Open Studio Artist Interview

BRael Ali Thunder

https://www.facebook.com/brael.ali

BReal Ali  

http://www.braelali.com/

B'RAEL ALI THE ARTISAN

BRAEL.ALI13@GMAIL.COM

773-494-2391

IG: BRAELALITHUNDER

FB: BRAELALITHUNDER

TWR:BRAELALITHUNDER

SOUNDCLOUD: BRAEL THUNDER

https://phantomgallery.blogspot.com/2016/07/black-experimentalism-let-us-examine.html

My title B’Rael Ali is an affirmation that I use so that I always remain conscious of my spiritual identity and purpose. My purpose being a creative force sent from the cosmos, a bringer of truth.  I was born on the south side of Chicago and I have lived much of my life in the urban City. I am a graduate of the Southern Illinois University of Carbondale achieving a BFA in Painting and Drawing. I am also a spoken word artist. My artwork and poetry are infusions of urban life, history, and social commentary. I believe that knowledge of self is the true answer to anyone’s individual struggles because gaining it has improved my life tremendously. My artwork and poetry serve as a form of education, displaying the lessons and philosophies that help me during my struggles in order to help others through their struggles as well. Art is my language, Art is my way of solving the problems of today in order to create a better future.

 Much of my artwork features dancing figures. Dance is the physical cultivation of the Spirit through mental release and rhythmic processes. Dance historically, and contemporary is a large part of African and African American culture being used for ritual purposes, ceremonial, as well as social. My artwork depicts those traditional uses of dance through 2D drawings on paper that are enhanced with acrylic paint and pastels. I use the dancing figure as a creative vessel to express African American culture and issues. Through compositions designed from the figurative image of the dancer, I compose narratives that describe the African American experience, largely addressing identity, reconnecting African Americans to their African ancestry. The collaboration of symbols new and old creates the persona of "Afrofuturism" in my work, allowing my art to become ritual. 

The Phantom Gallery will look at how the city influences art, and artists transform the city by contributing to civic dialogue and quality of life. These installations will produce "Creative Conversations" presenting artists speaking about their art.

2020 Program virtual gallery openings will focus on Examining the State of Our Environment- and having conversations with artists in their studios. 

The aim of the Phantom is to examine changes in current curatorial production and to develop innovative displays in relation to virtual spaces. "Curatorial Practice" explores the impact of the urban environment on the artist and their work, and the contributions that artists make to the vitality of a city. The place where art is imagined and made, whether in a physical or virtual space, affects the idea, the process, and the final product. 

Join us on December 18th, 2020 for our final installment of Virtual Open Studio featuring:

Renee Baker- Experimental Film 

Post Modernism:

Lois Stone

Phillip Cotton

Renee Baker Touring and Presenting Silent Film Screenings in Portland OR

"Art is Business" Touring and Presenting- Renee Baker in Portland Oregon

SILENT FILM SCREENINGS - ORIGINAL MUSICAL SCORE

Renee Baker of the Chicago Modern Orchestra Project presented Body and Soul (1925) and on Saturday, and  Borderline (1930). The Stacks Coffeehouse. 

Thursday, October 3rd Silent Film with Original Score  Body and Soul (1925) directed by Oscar Micheaux. Original score by Renee Baker and the Chicago Modern Orchestra Project.

Saturday, October 5th Silent Film with Original Score
We will be screening Borderline (1930) directed by Kenneth MacPherson. Original score by Renee Baker and the Chicago Modern Orchestra Project.

The Stacks Coffeehouse opened in October 2018

Owners Nathan and Mary have lived in the neighborhood since 2003 and wanted to create a space where their neighbors could gather together over cups of delicious coffee, great snacks, and beautiful books.  Mary was inspired by the library stacks at the University of Texas, where her mother used to work, and by the breakfast tacos of her hometown of Austin. Most of the books in The Stacks community library have been donated by friends and neighbors, and we’re always happy to accept more book donations.

We love coffee. We love books. We love our neighborhood. 

The Stacks is a coffee shop, but we’re also a community library.
The books are here for everyone to enjoy, so please take a look around and find something to read. If you’d like to take a book home with you, we’ll ask you to sign up for a library card—which essentially just says that you’re a member of our community library and that when you’re done with the book, you’ll return it.
You can also choose to bring us something else another day, helping to grow and expand our library for everyone to enjoy.

Virtual Open Studio- November Trolley Tour 2020

"Art is Business"

Alpha Bruton, Chief Curator at Phantom Gallery Chicago Network, a project that connects artists to temporary installation spaces,  aims to examine changes in current curatorial production and to develop innovative displays in relation to virtual spaces. "Curatorial Practice" explores the impact of the urban environment on the artist and their work, and the contributions that artists make to the vitality of a city. The place where art is imagined and made, whether in a physical or virtual space, affects the idea, the process, and the final product.

Alpha is looking at how the city influences art, and how artists transform the city by contributing to civic dialogue and quality of life.

LJA BeanSoup The Social Move Larissa Akinremi Johnson

Larissa Akinremi Johnson:

The Social Move is an initiative founded by Larissa J-Akinremi. She has been a tutor and mentor for over 30 years and is the product of the “ It takes a village to raise a child”.

Artist Statement

The daughter of creative visionary’s activist Bobbie Johnson and Zaid A. Maalikulmulk, 80s club kid and social curator Larissa Johnson-Akinremi (b. Baltimore, MD, 1969) began her career as a jewelry designer in the early 1990s after college and years later as a freelance make-up artist and fashion stylist. In 2000 she became the host, promoter, and nightlife social curator for Deep House Page; Chicago’s premier source for music entertainment and dance culture. Now her focus is on photography and curation. 

She is inspired by nature, people, social interaction, music, and dance culture. She enjoys the surreal, and spiritual realm and some of her work encompass those forms. Larissa’s process includes photography of human form, a play on light, and body movement, which also includes spoken word, animation, video, and performance art. In her spare time and upon request she is also a DJ. Johnson’s first solo exhibition People, Places, and Things took place in 2015 at Tangible Things. Her work was most recently featured at Beats and Treats, a solo exhibition at Chicago’s Bronzeville Room 43.

October Virtual Trolley Tour- Open Studio

Bronzeville Art District Virtual Trolley Tour- Phantom Gallery Chi Featured Artist Shonna McDaniels

"Art is Business"  visit SOJO Museum at https://www.sojoartsmuseum.org/

August 21, 2020, Featured Artist Shonna McDaniel's, Artist/Muralist/Museum Practice

Shonna McDaniels founded the Sojourner Truth Art Museum in 1996. In addition to her Executive Director duties, she is also a professional artist, teacher, muralist, and community activist. Prior to 1996, McDaniels was one of the co-founders and artists of the Visual Arts Development Project, teaching art classes, conducting workshops, and organizing art exhibits throughout the Oak Park and Del Paso communities. 

The Sojourner Truth Multicultural Arts Museum (also known as SOJO Museum) has been actively involved in serving youth and families in the South Sacramento area since 1996 when it developed numerous creative arts programs under the National Academic Youth Corps. Its purpose was to enable youth from culturally diverse backgrounds to stretch their minds and imaginations and to provide a safe environment that stimulates creativity, promotes healthy lifestyles, and develops social skills. After obtaining 501(c)(3) non-profit status in 2002, the Museum has offered scores of no- or low-cost programs, workshops, and activities on-site and out in the community to thousands of youth.

The Museum's programs have positively affected the lives of its participants and the cultural environment of the community. The Museum was founded as collaboration between Sojourner Truth Multicultural Art Museum and the Florin Business Arts Complex where the Museum is housed. SOJO operates as both a traditional Museum and a learning and education center for children, youth, and their families. We offer programs that educate youth about diversity and involve them in hands-on art projects including mural development, clay sculpting, and storytelling. SOJO offers a diverse spectrum of theme-oriented murals, art installations, exhibitions, events, and programs representing African American, Mexican, Latino, Asian, Alaskan, Pacific Islander, Eastern, and Native Cultures. The Sojourner Truth Multicultural Arts Museum was awarded official Sacramento Museum status in 2008, and in February 2009, participated in the highly attended Sacramento Free Museum Day.

Leadership Statement
As the Founder and Executive Director of the Sojourner Truth Arts Museum (SOJO Museum), Shonna McDaniel's takes pride in ensuring community-driven projects come alive and enable underserved children and families from culturally diverse backgrounds to engage in creative experiences. McDaniel's is a highly qualified, professional artist that has an extensive background in art instruction and mural design. Shonna McDaniels also has over 20 years of managerial and executive experience from both the business and non-profit sectors. By providing access to art experiences, she aims to increase livability, spread cultural understanding, nurture healthy interactions, and support socially responsible programs.

GET IN TOUCH
916-320-9573
info@sojoartsmuseum.org
2251 Florin Rd #126
Sacramento, Ca 95822

The museum is located on the corner of 24th and Florin inside the Florin Business Arts Complex, in Sacramento California.

Curatorial Practice in the Virtual Space- A Creative Conversation with Fran Joy 07/07 by Phantom Gallery Chicago Network | Visual Arts

Curatorial Practice in the Virtual Space- A Creative Conversation with Fran Joy 07/07 by Phantom Gallery Chicago Network | Visual Arts:

FRAN JOY, a recipient of the Evanston Mayor's Individual Artist of the Year Award, is known for her works depicting women's issues and topics of social injustice. Her subjects are wide-ranging, including intimate portraiture, ethereal figures, historical portrayals, tribal imagery, scenes of violent injustice, and cosmic vistas.

Fran is a visual artist, curator, designer, and life coach who grew up in a small town in southern Illinois, but who subsequently has called New Orleans, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Evanston home, and who makes frequent visits to New York. Fran has a depth of experience in curating. She created and curated the? Justice for Peace? exhibit for the Noyes Cultural Art Center, which included local and Chicago artists as well as ETHS art students. She produced and curated shows for the Executive Director of the Illinois Arts Alliance at the time, Ra Joy for the Chicago Home Theater Art and Music Festival.

She helped curate one of Evanston's World Lakefront festivals and the Illinois One State Art Convention for the Arts held at Evanston's Orrington Hotel. She curated a show for Art Encounter at the three-story historic home of collectors Ra and Falona Joy in Bronzeville.
"Art is Business"

Biography: Eugene Lawrence Foney (1950-2020) by Halima Taha

"Art is Business"  Black Art In America original posted by Najee Dorsey

  Biography: Eugene Lawrence Foney (1950-2020) by Halima Taha

Biography Eugene Lawrence Foney (1950-2020)  Eugene Lawrence Foney, 69 passed away on April 7, 2020, in Chicago. He was born to Eugene and Ruth Foney in the windy city on October 6, 1950. Eugene was affectionately known as Dad, Brother, Gene, Uncle Eugene, Sporty, Jr., and ELF -for his initials - by his close family, friends, and colleagues. He is better known as a celebrated art consultant, publisher, entrepreneur, and businessman who championed African American artists and culture. He was also known as the ‘art dealers’ dealer’ throughout the United States, with Houston, Texas as his base.  Eugene’s foray into the art world was nothing short of Divine providence. After graduating from Southern Illinois University and working odd jobs, he was in the process of deciding to pursue an MBA at Texas Southern University. One day while contemplating his future he took a walk. He paused and was moved by a print he saw displayed in the window of a neighborhood cabinet maker’s storefront gallery called the Wood Shop. With a limited budget, he purchased the piece on a layaway plan. After developing a relationship, the owner suggested that he sell prints of Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, and other Black leaders to help him pay for his schoolbooks after giving him a catalog he produced on African American art.  Eager to introduce people to prints by Black artists he successfully sold many of the prints for the Wood Shop. He soon became the person in Texas to ask about art and artists, resulting in him developing the fine art market for American artists of African descent through his business, artcetera, which he developed and expanded for over 40 years. During this time Eugene was exposed to a diverse range of people who became lifelong clients and friends. Eugene was a staunch advocate for artists. He was also actively involved in the development of the Houston African American Art and Culture Museum and was a member of the Houston Museum of Fine Arts African American support group.  The catalyst for the expansion of artcetera was when he was asked by a dear friend, to curate and fulfill a wish list for the George Cleveland Hall Branch of the Chicago Public Library system. Their interest in African American art enabled him to include art by Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, Charles White, John Biggers, Eldzier Cortor, Charles Alston, Samella Lewis, Camille Billops, Aaron Douglass, Benny Andrews, Joseph Delaney, Robert Blackburn, Fred Jones, James Denmark, Margaret Burroughs, Claude Clark, Vincent Smith, William Carter, Ellsworth Ausby, and Ademola Olugebefola.  After putting this distinctive collection together, he focused on building individual and institutional fine art collections throughout the United States and the Caribbean for more than four decades. He sourced masterworks for many historic and renowned art dealers and galleries, including but not limited to, Terry Dintenfass, Sid Deutsch, Leo Castelli, Martha Henry, Beverly Saks, Peg Alston, June Kelly, the Tony Shrafazi Gallery, ACA Gallery, Pace Gallery, Wilmer Jennings Gallery, Stella Jones Gallery, Woodshop Gallery, Black Heritage Gallery, Isobel Neal Gallery, Black Art in America and Hauser & Wirth.  No matter where he traveled Eugene had lots of what they called themselves, “his Best Friend”. Elders loved his old fashion respect for them. The younger generation looked up to him and valued him for his opinion and knowledge. Throughout his life, Eugene was a voracious reader and studied the art market with great tenacity and a demeanor that combined the bold excitement of bebop and the ease of cool jazz. He lived by his own rules, social protocols, and the lack thereof, which either endeared people or at times caused many collectors and dealers to lose out on great opportunities. He was always eager to ‘make a deal’ but believed that “fools rushed in where angels dare to tread.” It was always about making the best deal, which for Eugene was a well-choreographed process of thoughtful research, timing, judgment, integrity, and presentation- an art form he made his own. Eugene always taught you something about the art, gave you a wonderful story to later share about your purchase and a forever lasting friendship was part of the sale. One of Eugene’s most accomplished deals that he was extremely proud of involved facilitating and helping to bring the papers and archives of Houston based artist John T. Biggers to Emory University in 2011 which is currently a permanent display.  Eugene made indelible impressions on all who met him. He had an infectious smile, a sardonic sense of humor, a love for hats, and an appreciation for Black cowboys at the rodeo and BBQ. He also had an uncanny ability to find the hippest, out of the way, food, and music spots wherever he traveled. Eugene had an active inquisitive mind for art, adventure, and fun in everything he did. Perhaps one of the most endearing things was his pleasure in a range of music from the blues, jazz, rock, r & b to hip hop.  Eugene is survived by his daughter Ariel E. Dale in Los Angeles, CA, and his sister Jennifer Foney in Powder Springs, GA. He is also survived and loved by aunts, uncles, more than 100 cousins, countless friends, and his beloved brothers of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated. A memorial tribute will be scheduled later. If you so desire, at this time the family suggests donations in Eugene L. Foney’s name be made to a favorite art organization that features and supports African American artists or the American Cancer Society.  A sincere thank you to everyone who provided input.  Photo Credit: Tony Smith, Photographer  Written by: Halima Taha, arts & culture strategist, corporate & academic speaker, and author of Collecting African American Art: Works on Paper and Canvas.

Wash Your Hands First BlogSpot

"Art is Business"  Wash your Hands First is a Blogspot,

Hello Phantom Gallery Chicago Network artists, I started authoring this blog a decade ago in 2009. I have posted regularly and irregularly over the past decade, not knowing that we'd be in an age of having to tell the world to WASH YOUR HANDS FIRST! 

But yet here we are.

Begin your day with meditation

All over the country, the weekly family get-together is alive and well. It's a tradition worth keeping (or even starting up). Just since December 2019, we had 5,908 views, from folks looking for Holistic Healing Systems Health and Wellness. So please forward this link to your family and friends and let's continue to uplift each other during this time and plan on celebrating each other in our futures. 

I started "Wash Your Hands First" as a communal dinner a place for a discussion examining the relationships between local communities and their role in creating access to the arts. Each host has taken time out to prepare a special main dish, create a theme, set the table, light a candle, and wait for their guest to arrive.

We get together during art openings, and informal gatherings, artist salons, but there is nothing like a good old fashion potluck, "Sunday Dinner", themed suggested by the main course, a formal invitation from time to time RSVP, and yes "BYOB" to share with the host. Let's look to the future in uncertain times and begin again to be about this notion of coming together to commune.

Alpha,

Women's History Month, Gallery Guichard Presents Color me IN

"Art is Business"   rsvp Eventbrite Bronzeville Art District

Creative Capital staff is working remotely due to COVID-19, so please direct all communications through email. Online workshops will continue as planned.

Due to the Coronavirus situation, we are going to postpone the panel discussion scheduled for March 20th until May 23rd, 2020 to 12 to 3 pm.

We hope this message finds you and yours in good health. The Bronzeville Art District remains committed to creating diverse and engaging exhibitions and programs. However, we believe it is in the best interest of vulnerable populations to temporarily postpone current events and gatherings until we know more due to COVID-19.

There are so many aspects of the virus that we do not yet understand. As such, we must act based on what we currently know to support our community as best we can. We encourage you to follow an expanded set of best practices to keep yourself, your loved ones, and those you don't know healthy.

As A Woman of Ability and Talent Featured Artist Talver Germany

"Art is Business" 2020 Phantom Gallery Chicago Network Featured artist Talver Germany

Art class at FLC. Professor Talver Germany. How to draw watercolor composition.

A native of Sacramento, California, I was educated like many other artists from grammar to graduate school. I received a BA degree in Studio Art, BA in Social Science/ Anthropology and an MS. Degree in Counseling Education all from the California State University of Sacramento.

My vision of beauty is based on my traditional African American culture, coupled with my mother's love and encouragement that has to help me to develop a sense of self-confidence and a true interest in the wondrous world of art.
As a woman of ability and talent, I am able to explore any number of media to express my creativity. My teaching and own work involve working in an easel, plain air, and mural painting, ceramics /clay sculpture, pen and ink, and the experimentation of jewelry making. All contribute to my goal of producing more sophisticated and challenging works that pass to my students and teaching skills. In addition, I have begun to assimilate my personal experiences of the West Indies (Jamaica) in the creative use of color, form, and texture in my artwork.
I am an Associate Professor of Art at Folsom Lake College, a member of the Placerville Arts Association, San Francisco Fine Arts Museum, Sacramento African American Art Collection, Phantom Gallery Chicago Network on LinkedIn, and member of the California Arts Association.

Talver Criticing one of my paintings, 2019

My love of art is also demonstrated by my involvement in the art community. I have served as the Coordinator of the first African American Art Summit at Sacramento City College, juried the 16th annual Placerville Art Show, and attended the California Governor's C conference on the Arts in Los Angeles, and presently Co-Founder and Director of the (VADP) Visual Arts Development Project, an urban community-based art organization that provides children, adults, and emerging artist with resources workshops and a venue to show and express their artwork.

I have exhibited widely throughout Northern and Southern California, from Folsom Lake College, Sacramento Mc George School of Law, and Placer County Tuttle Mansion, (VADP) Visual Arts Development Project Slide Presentation, Assisi Italy Third World Art Conference, and Montego Bay Jamaica, Mazine Inn.
Overall, I feel strongly that my maturity as an artist has stimulated me to experience new ways of expressing the African ancestry that overwhelms me with a sense of joy, creativity, love, and spiritual bonding.