Calvin Coleman
Artist
Biography
Coming Soon..
Andre' Guichard
Artist
Biography
“I breathe life into my thoughts with results that exceed my initial expectations” - Andre' Guichard
“My love for jazz stems from my own personal roots. My grandfather, Alfred Guichard Sr. was a famous New Orleans Jazz Musician in the early 1930’s. Knowing my family roots was a catalyst for the creation of an ongoing jazz series that expresses the relationship between jazz music and the painted abstract, as well as the relationship between musician and instrument.”
Self-taught and one of the largest selling African - American gallery artists in Chicago. He has had the privilege of being exposed to art through the eyes of his father who painted throughout his childhood. He was also influenced by his cousin, the late great outsider artist, William Dawson.
Guichard has been painting professionally for sixteen years. His works can be found in over 500 corporate and private collections nationally and internationally. 2006 recipient of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Monarch Award Fine Arts, 2003 recipient of the African American Arts Alliance Artist Of The Year .
Most recently, Guichard was published in African Art: The Diaspora and Beyond The Daniel Texidor Parker Collection by Daniel Texidor Parker, 2004 and the fine art book, Unveiled by Will Downing, 2005, Featured in the “Interesting Personalities Section” of the Inaugural Edition of Who’s Who In Black Chicago, 2006, One of 13 featured artist out of 1700, Chicago Artists Month catalog (Beyond Boundaries) 2006.
Former curator of the South Shore Cultural Center, his international cosmopolitan sensibilities and elegance turned the Center’s Margaret T. Burroughs Gallery into a major African American exhibit space for both local and international artists.
Co-owner of Gallery Guichard, located in Bronzeville at 3521 S. King Drive in Chicago, IL 60653, he has been partly responsible for the gallery being known as ”a gallery as beautiful as any seen in Europe.”
Guichard has recently been featured in live interviews on (CLTV’s) Metro MIX (2006), ABC – Channel 7 (2005), Chicago, WTTW – Channel 11 - Chicago Matters (2005), Chicago Tribune (May 2006), Chicago Tribune (September, 2005),
One of Guichard’s Jazz images “Jazz From The Soul” is the 2006 Jazz Unites, Inc. 25th Anniversary Jazz Fest Heritage logo. Another one of Guichard’s Jazz images, “Hot Trumpeter” was the 2002 Chicago Jazz Fest logo. Guichard has a permanent installation in the Bronzeville Jazz McDonalds featuring six images from the Jazz Series. Guichard was one of a selected group of artists chosen to display work in the O’Hare International Airport, International Gallery Exhibition entitled Heaven and Earth, October 2000 through October 2001.
Guichard was a former teacher for the Gallery 37 – Chicago Public Schools Art program.
Jonathon Romain
Artist
Biography
There are many people who hope that their dreams will one day come true. But for Chicago artist, Jonathon Romain, his dream of becoming a professional artist is a reality.
For seven years in a row he has been invited to participate in the National Black Fine Art Show in New York City. Romain has been commissioned by organizations such as Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Kraft Food, The National Black Prosecutors Association, Cook County Bar Association and The Food Network Channel to name a few. Romain exhibited at the worlds most prestigious African American Museum of art, The Studio Museum of Harlem in New York City in a group show titled “Black Romantic”. Michael Kimmelman, art critic for the New York Times, singled out a few artists that he considered to be at the “high end” of the artist that were showing and Romain was among the ones mentioned.
Against formidable odds, he graduated from high school and went on to earn a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology from Bradley University in Peoria, IL. It wasn’t easy, Romain, like many Black children, never knew his biological father. His stepfather, a man who loved and treated him like his own son, died when Romain was only fifteen. At that point, positive male role models became a rare and precious gift.
Perhaps that is why today, Jonathon Romain, known from New York City to Los Angeles, is a motivational speaker for inner city youth. He tells them that the road to success may be elusive but not impossible, especially if one is willing to study, commit and focus on the big picture. Much of his time is spent through various organizations helping young black men and women overcome negative obstacles in life. Whether it’s through being on the committee of Wings of Hope, an organization committed to uplifting and inspiring inner city youth, on the board of directors of One Family One Child, an organization dedicated to placing at risk children in foster care or speaking at various schools and organizations across the country Jonathon Romain through his art and inspiration has tried to serve those less fortunate than himself.
Romain knew that he had a gift for art at a very young age. But it was only after years of struggling that he realized what his divine purpose was.
When talking to young people, he invites them to view his life as an example of how important it is to persevere, no matter what the obstacles.
“My work is as diverse as my life’s experiences. I try to capture the soulful and stirring essence of my subject whatever it might be. Behind every face, every object and every place there is a story, an undeniable story that is waiting to be told. I try to tell that story with the stroke of a brush.”
Featured in local and national newspapers, including Chicago’s Sun-Times, Defender and Tribune, as well as Black Entertainment Television, the Food Network Channel and several Chicago affiliate television stations.
Jonathon Romain recently closed his art gallery in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood and moved to Peoria, IL. That gallery concluded a ten year run of owning and operating his own galleries. “I wanted to be an artist more than I did a gallery owner” says Romain of his decision to ultimately close the gallery that had defined him for so many years. He now has converted a three unit apartment building into his “factory”. There he creates his art, does his own framing and operates his business.
David Shareef
Magician
Biography
David Shareef, has been called funny, mysterious, engaging and a great entertainer! Born on the south side of Chicago, David Shareef, got started when "The Greatest of All Times" Muhammad Ali, paid his school a visit and did a magic trick for the young impressionable David Shareef, and as the say "the rest is history". David Shareef, has since performed private shows for such grates as San Francisco Giants icon Barry Bonds, Snoop Dogg, and Ice T. He has also been the opening act for Howard Hewitt, Robert Townsend, Joe, Avant, and The Gap Band and many more.
David Shareef, has performed for Corperations, Colleges, Schools, Churches, Town ships, and private events. Past Clients Include Carnival Cruise lines,NAACP, ABC Breast Cancer Foundation, Girl Scouts of America, U.S. Cellular, T-Mobile and Chicago radio station, WGCI.
* Click on pictures to link to Artist's website.
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