Black Creativity

For 2026 Black History Month 365 we celebrated my acceptance into the annual juried art exhibition at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago for their 2026 “Black Creativity” showcasing the finest Black artists from around the country and most of them are from right here in the Chicagoland area … I have been honored to exhibit several times in the past years so this is definitely an event I enjoy showcasing my artistry. There was no shortage of immense talent and I’m extremely grateful for the good company in this historic event (originally executed in part by Bobby Sengstacke) celebrating its 56th year anniversary!!!



This longest continually running exhibition of African American art has been displayed annually at MSI since 1970. Black Creativity Juried Art Exhibition features paintings, drawings, fine art prints, sculpture, mixed-media, ceramics and photography by Black Americans, including youth artists between the ages of 14 and 17. Work is submitted in the fall, and a panel of jurors select the pieces for exhibition. A youth component also offers opportunities for high school students to submit their art work to the exhibition. My daughter Diana was fortunate to display her ceramics and paintings several times throughout the years so I’m proud to be a part of the program again this year. The exhibit runs through April 19, 2026.

Compass Prayer - Sundial Asana

mixed media sculpture using clay and found objects, repurposed materials

The compass is a tool for measuring direction. The sundial is a tool for measuring time. The hand is in a prayer position. These elements combined symbolize the need to pray and meditate on our position in life, where we’re headed and the time it takes to accomplish our goal, which is oneness with the most high ….. the pedestal is created from a repurposed art handling crate symbolizing movement, in this case upward, elevating our consciousness, while the “yoga mat” is made of wood, symbolizing grounding and connection with nature.

Inspired by cosmic yoga series, The sculpture represents balance, direction, oneness with God or as the ancient Egyptians referred to as smai tawi (similar to a martial arts practice of movement and lifestyle initiating the Union of Heaven and Earth) that should be our foundation (which is sometimes referred to as kemetic yoga) …. The pedestal’s Sociological significance. We must meditate on the Black Arts movement that continues to elevate & carry the culture forward … solid and stable are the shoulders of our ancestors …. the found object is a piece of jewelry representing the flower of life. The development of the mind is a spiritual process as well as physical and material, with the flower symbolizing the pinnacle of growth, bearing fruit which creates the seed, continuing the cycle of life. This meditative work of art also calls for us to slow down, discover our connection with nature … in recognizing time to harvest, the flower defines the final phase of growth … clay is earthly material the body is made from. from the Earth, we return to the Earth. In a somewhat crude fashion the clay is formed into a figure to represent the fingerprint of God, creator of humanity, specifically the woman, who once was referred to as a goddess and a central figure in society and it’s reverence for nature and universal motherhood. Wood (yoga mat) is the rarest material in the universe found primarily on our planet: representing grounding … a sundial reveals time & how light brings awareness of our inner shadow work, developing our unique, individual capabilities that collectively contribute to the whole of our community …. We experience seasons, calendars, milestones and in a sense, predict the future by adhering to principles of Nature… Overall, this introspection encourages us to lock in, focus on the foundational elements of our diasporal movement, reaching our highest potential in physical mental and spiritual health/alignment where we will once again enjoy a shining golden Age of Enlightenment and African Excellence, BLACK CREATIVITY.

#ReDesigningExcellence #ARTGOD

Bronzeville Mural

I’ve been working all summer 2024 on a mural project that I’m really excited to share with you guys …Although the mural hasn’t been installed yet (the building is still under construction, shout out to the team at UJAMAA) it’s a piece I’m extremely proud of …. When I was asked to do the project, I was given full & free creative control over the content of the art …. which means, I included a family portrait, images of my favorite sports and recreational activities, images of the neighborhood of Bronzeville with references to the Great Migration and cowboys on horseback trotting through the city, and of course, the barber shop, which refences the days of long ago when my grandfather Harold Eulien Sr. owned and operated Bronzeville’s own Eulien Barber College on 35th and Michigan Avenue, creating artistic and employment opportunities for Black men from all around the city of Chicago. And since it’s a mural commissioned by Northwestern Medicine, I included images of a community dedicated to being healthy. It’s been an excellent opportunity to shed light on some of the inspiration behind my work and I hope the city enjoys the art work as much as I do!

original sketch design of “Bronzeville” for Northwestern Medicine and UJAMAA construction mural at 48th and Cottage Grove, (Bronzeville, South Side of Chicago

photography by Alexy Irving - “Bronzeville”

Barber College sketch

photography by Alexy Irving - painting “barber college”

cover story of BronzeTown magazine, highlighting Eulien Barber College


In addition to working on the mural, I was fortunate to have Dorian Sylvain & Tony Smith film a short documentary while in process of painting …. the mini documentary premiered at the Logan Café during my City of Gold artist talk in August 2024. Check it out on YouTube!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=AHQ15rC0dzA&feature=shared

ReSOURCE at South Side Community Art Center

I faced one of my biggest challenges this year when I was selected to participate in ReSOURCE, an exhibition in collaboration with the Terra Foundation, Northwestern University and the South Side Community Art Center ….We met for an intimate dinner and a conversation about repurposing materials to create art at the North Kenwood home of collector and photographer Patric McCoy …I have to admit, I was caught off guard by the recommendation but I have also learned that we have no idea what opportunities tomorrow will bring but the important thing is to stay prepared to be present and accept the tests as part of your growth. Along with my City of Gold series of collage work, I oftentimes find myself making art from recycled bicycle tires, reclaimed piece of plywood from art handing crates or even taking pieces of dried paint or salvaged paint brushes and finding ways to use them in a variety of creative ways. It’s no surprise, then, that I was selected by curators LaMar Gayles and Bethany Hill and commissioned to design a set of benches for the exhibition that focuses on the Black Chicagoan experience of repurposing found materials and literally turning trash into treasures of art collectibles.

photo of 6 month old Sol and I by artist Robert Johnson

In the beginning, I was energized at the idea of creating works that would be both functional and aesthetically pleasing. I made foam board down scaled mock-ups of my designs as well as drawings of potential concepts that looked very good on paper, but when it came to actually sourcing the materials and beginning the carpentry work, I hit a wall. None of my designs seemed achievable to translate from paper. So I did what I do best, GOT TO WORK! I found some old motorcycle tires and shipping palettes and came up with some ideas to use the tires as planters and the palettes as the seating area. After I completed the first bench, the remaining two went about as smoothly as I could have imagined if I were a seasoned carpenter. When the time came for the opening reception Saturday, September 14th, the benches were displayed proudly in the yard adjacent to the South Side Community Art Center. One of my City of Gold collages is also on display in the Cortor Gallery on the second floor. There are so many legendary artists in this exhibition, I am extremely humbled and grateful for the opportunity. Thanks also to Rebecca Zorach for her commitment to my artistic practice and for recognizing the dedication of my mentor Siddha Webber who I silently thank everyday for being an ancestor watching over my career path. The exhibit runs through the end of December 2024.

Green Bench created from repurposed materials

palette, motorcycle tire, plywood, fence posts, spray paint, linoleum block printed adinkra symbols

2024

Red Bench created from repurposed materials

palette, motorcycle tire, plywood, fence posts, spray paint, linoleum block printed adinkra symbols

2024

Yellow Bench created from repurposed materials

palette, motorcycle tires, plywood, fence posts, lumber, spray paint, linoleum block printed adinkra symbols

2024

Please visit the South Side Community Art Center! This is a registered historical landmark that so many legendary artists have called their home thanks in major part to Dr. Margaret Burroughs. Looking forward to visiting the new additions in 2026!

City of Gold

it’s been a great start to the year with a Black History month inaugural exhibition at the Eban Showroom, co-founded by Alexy Irving in her lovely Greater Grand Crossing home, together with co-founder Marcus the Artist, the exhibit highlights works of art from their personal collection to give a lesson on collecting, culture & the art community.

Marcus’ 2024 solo exhibition CITY OF GOLD curated by Dorian Sylvain opened at the Logan Center for the Arts in Cafe Logan with a warm reception for the opening and an artist talk in July …on view through August 11, 2024, COG has potential to be the defining style of Marcus’ art career …. although we obviously showcase a broad and diverse variety of styles here at MSA-ART, these golden cityscapes have captivated audiences of art lovers and the hearts and wallets of art collectors alike. Check out the City of Gold collages at the OPEN Center for the Arts 10 anniversary celebration, in the online sales gallery and at the next upcoming exhibition.

https://www.loganexhibitions.uchicago.edu/exhibitions/city-of-gold

the Secret Life of PLANTS

To end the year 2023, I was honored to exhibit my Plant Life series, “the SECRET LIFE of PLANTS”, at Chicago Art Department in the East Gallery for the month of December. My Co-curators Alexy Irving and Dorian Sylvain did an excellent job of bringing my creative vision to life. In fact, the week of the install, I became ill with covid and it forced me to take a back seat to their curatorial expertise. One thing I learned from this experience was, if you ask for help, allow people to help, and get out of their way. Despite feeling horribly sick and weak, I was initially tempted to do all the work myself since I had been planning this exhibit for over a year and I had an idea in my mind about how I wanted people to experience the work I created for the show. But if it wasn’t for me being forced to stay home sick, I would have failed to benefit from the professionalism of these two brilliant art visionaries. It was so much of a surprise to see so many of my friends and family in attendance. The opening night was fabulous. I prepared a playlist inspired by plants and we also enjoyed entertainment from Rodney Gipson, musician extraordinaire. In addition, I was able to host workshops with experts in the field, Pancho McFarland, PhD, who graciously facilitated a permaculture workshop, and Alexy Irving, not only a curator, but a garden educator, who also hosted a propagation workshop. I held my own collage workshop where we created vision boards as well. Overall, it was a beautiful experience to wrap up the year and I look forward to 2024. It’s already shaping up to be pretty busy and full of activity. Thanks again for continuing the journey! Peace, protection, prosperity and productivity.

WILDFLOWERS

have you guys checked out the wildflowers series? well, I really wanted to create a series that was BIG on TEXTURE!!

I LOVE TEXTURE …the thicker, the better ….so, what better way to create texture than with globs of dried paint ….. the process is pretty simple actually ….

step one: select your colors

step two: squeeze the paint onto release paper, or gather those dried paint cups, or even open the tube of paint and let it dry so it forms into the shape of its container (my personal favorite)

step three: break the pieces of dried paint into pieces and assemble them into a “paint collage’

like I said, it’s really quite simple ….. using wet paint as an adhesive, I can also play around with different colors and before you know it, you’ve got flower petals in three dimensions popping off the canvas …

when I first began the series, I was using lots of found materials like disassembled electrical components, gift bags, and wood panels to affix the paint to …. there’s a precarious balance between nature and technology that I quite enjoy, but of course, I’m partial to preserving the ecosystem, so I don’t allow the industrial aspect to overpower the flora. Wildflowers is one of those styles I tend to gravitate to when I’m feeling in a creative slump because it allows me to be free of the technical processes of painting and drawing. Like I sometimes say … when you feel like dirt, make flowers!!

Join several other art lovers and add some wildflowers to your collection.

2020

it’s been a hell of a year huh?

well, 2020 has also been one of my most productive and prolific

I generated a vision board early in the year and I’ve met and exceeded most of my goals …. I was fortunate to exhibit my solo show “Cosmic Yoga: Smai Tawi” at the South Side Community Art Center which ran from March to September ….. I’ve been producing a new series of “Plant Life” paintings which will be added to the online sales gallery very soon ….. I also started doing more portrait commissions which went really well during the covid19 pandemic to help generate some lost funds from being out of work for a couple of months

needless to say, I’ve shifted my perspective somewhat to including more art that addresses social issues …. not that my art didn’t already address these issues, but I’ve been fortunate to align myself with organizations that have taken the reigns and use public outreach as their main resource ….. @alt__chicago is doing wonderful things for the community with their free markets in under resourced neighborhoods …. and I was fortunate to do some illustrations for their upcoming project with wearable art for their tshirt line …. also “Land Back” and Black Power to the Black Hammer Organization, another international membership based group doing amazing things for the community, I expanded my design capabilities to include some more fashion elements to their revolutionary organization

in addition to forumlating and generating new concepts, I also enjoy working on figure studies from live models which has always been a challenge I enjoy practicing. I’ll do better at maintaining the blog, since most of my accomplishments go almost unnoticed unless you’re following my instagram page @greatest_artist_ever ….go follow me now if you haven’t already

thank you to everyone who has visited my website. I love you and appreciate your ongoing support

look for great things to come that ensure a brighter future for us all

Why City of Gold

what does it mean to YOU?

there are sacred spaces that give us a sense of belonging, a place where we are free to express ourselves, free to alleviate the burdens of expectations, free to simply be ourselves ...... in theory ...for those of us who struggle to find those places of solace, it becomes extremely necessary to discover these places or fall victim to the depression created by the lack thereof .... as an artist who struggles with apathy and disparaging experiences, I felt compelled to create a place in which I could escape from the ills of the world in the best way I know how, through my art.

in an instant, I feel as if I become one with the city during the creation process, lost in the details of applying the fabric and gold leaf with meticulous measure. it is true that art is therapeutic, for myself especially this has become very true .... and after the entire work has been completed, a piece of me lives on and my soul becomes one with the city of gold..... perhaps I exist in my abstract interpretations of the sun, moon or stars.... or does a remnant of my soul linger somewhere in a room pretending to busy itself occupying a room in one of the structures of the city of gold? in fact, a piece of me exists in them all, as the notion of god exists in all known creation of the universe .....

in theory, we transcend the physical plane as we transition back into beings of energy, so the city of gold hold invisible occupants, living in these eternal urban environments carrying on with their daily lives in the reality their mind imagines the illusion of existence to be .... 

.... we are forged in the fire of the sun, galvanizing our identity as purpose driven beings conscious of our own individuality within the totality of humanity..... in the heat and electrical impulses that are conducted in the elemental properties of gold, my energy is transformed through the alchemy of art into an infinite force to live on forever as a creator and simultaneously a part of my own creation, the city of gold.

the FINAL WORD

in 2004 I was accepted by Dr Royster of the African American Cultural Center at UIC to do a solo art exhibition and lecture for a series that I would have to create specifically for this gallery .... I decided to incorporate my love for language with my love for fine art and expressionism and the result was the FINAL WORD series of what I later called "wordscapes" ... these WORDSCAPES reflect the graffiti of public urban spaces designed to highlight the importance of language in communicating ideas and information ... the lecture consisted of a 30 minute presentation of the beginnings of communicating through writing and it's lasting effects of drastically changing the world ... one of the references I suggest people read is the Alphabet versus the goddess by Leonard Shlain explaining the transition from oral traditions of history to written methods of transfer of information ... a seemingly instantaneous and simultaneous transition from feminine to masculine god/goddess worship happened with the transition of left to right brain dominance created by the use of written language communication, a phenomenon I find compelling ..... the FINAL WORD series also awakens the notion of our brains ability to connect words into meaning and since the words are placed at random onto the canvas, no two viewers will see the artwork the same since our brains attempt to create logic that resonates with us on a personal level ... however, I am constantly discovering more ways humanity can relate through these introspective reflections and attempt to utilize the series as a therapeutic method of healing

Musicians in Black & White -- Universal Alley Jazz Jam

Jazz in the Alley began on the South Side of Chicago when black performers and musicians were unable to play at the white venues & nightclubs due to a racist nationwide policy of segregation and exclusivity ... in order to have a sacred space for us to release the tensions amidst the unrest of the civil rights era, the back alleyways of Chicago became the birthplace of open garages with DJs and musicians entertaining small crowds of Black folks having a good time while poets and painters created the artistic vibe ... it evolved into the Universal Alley Jazz Jam shortly there-after and has become a highly anticipated annual Jazz festival free to all Chicagoans who love live jazz, art and poetry ... in 2015 I was asked to become a committee member and worked as an artist alongside Reverend Doctor Cleveland Siddha Webber, a Chicago muralist, napropath and theologian who was one of the co-founders of Jazz in the Alley ..... under Siddha's mentorship, I created a series of paintings now known as "Musicians in Black and White" .... some of those paintings were created at the Jazz Jam using the live musicians as models while they played....  by creating these timeless images of jazz musicians, I uphold the legacy of "REVITALIZING THE COMMUNITY THROUGH ART AND CULTURE" the catchphrase Siddha and friends echoed throughout every Jazz Jam currently located at the Black United Fund of Illinois Building every Saturday for 7 weeks during the summer ... in 2016 Dr. Webber made his transition to rejoin the ancestors, befitting of his namesake band ANCESTRAL RESURRECTION ENSMEBLE for he will forever be remembered, resurrected in the hearts of everyone he touched through his music, poetry, art and healing, and especially in the children he inspired to unlock the potential for greatness and god within.

 

the "Musicians in Black and White" series has been shown in the Chicago Arts District at Elee.Mosynary Gallery, UFAT Gallery, the African American Cultural Center at UIC, and featured at the Harold Washington branch of the Chicago Public Library in the Art & Music Department

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AxknKCYBN...

City of Gold & Sun Disks Floating Museum feature

In 2017 Alleyne ART was a featured artist on The Floating Museum project created by a collaboration of Chicago-area artists of the same name. The floating Museum began life at SkyArt on the South Side of Chicago in late June, then moved to Pilsen's "Bubbly Creek", floated down the Chicago River to the Riverwalk at Wacker & Clark Street and ended as an installation during Art Expo at Navy Pier in August. Its aquatic journey aboard an industrial barge “pays homage to the Chicago River’s industrial past,” according an announcement from the group. Each artist was responsible for designing a crate representing the early museum's containers of curiosity. Alleyne ART designed a crate with several collages from the City of Gold series on the interior and Sun Disks mounted to the crate spray painted entirely in metallic gold. A golden motorcycle tire mounted to the outside of the crate was quite striking.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-floating-museum-chicago-riverwalk-photos-20170816-photogallery.html

FloatingMuseum.org for more info past, present and future

 

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qePBkNI6Sz...

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