Chaz Guest
Chaz Guest (born May 2, 1961 in Niagara Falls, New York ) is an American artist who works as a painter and sculptor. He is described by the Huffington Post as "an American artist of profound inventiveness".
life and career
Guest's parents are Algirtha Guest (* 1933) and Pastor Theodore James Guest (1922-2006). Guest's father - Pastor TJ Guest - is a Purple Heart recipient from WWII. Guest is the seventh of nine brothers and sisters. Guest graduated from Southern Connecticut State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in graphic design in 1985 . Guest grew up with his family in a quiet community in Niagara Falls, New York . His parents divorced when he was ten years old. After the divorce, he moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with his mother and siblings .
Guest has two sons, one born in 1994 and one born in 2003.
Guest received a gymnastics scholarship to go to Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) to study kinesiology and earn a degree in graphic arts . He then successfully participated in the US Olympic program. After graduating from SCSU, Guest moved to New York City where he studied fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology . During this time he honed his formal skills in drawing. During his stay at the fashion institute, Guest made the acquaintance of Antonio Lopez . Lopez inspired and influenced his decision to look for a job as an illustrator. Guest studied at the fashion institute for nine months.
In 1986 Guest moved to Paris , France to work as a freelance fashion illustrator. Guest joined Joyce Magazine as an illustrator for the magazine's covers and was responsible for the cover illustrations for JOYCE Magazine for the 1987/1988 season. Guest met Christian Lacroix while working at Joyce Magazine . Lacroix encouraged him to apply his illustrator skills to painting after Lacroix saw one of Guest's illustrations of couture designs for Joyce Magazine . After the 1987/1988 season, Guest left Joyce Magazine and moved to Dax , France, where he began painting.
After leaving the Fashion Institute of Technology, Guest began studying the paintings of Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí . Guest also studied Balthus's paintings . In 1991, Guest sold his first painting to a passerby outside his Soho apartment .
The first museum exhibition was a group exhibition "Decoding Identity: I do it for my people" (January 23, 2009 to March 22, 2009) at the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco (MOAD).
Notable works
In 2004, when he was at Mattie and Michael Lawson's home in Hancock Park, Los Angeles , Guest was impressed by the presence of Barack Obama , who was then running for the Senate, speaking to the guests. This picture stuck with him, and he created a painting with the President based on this mental image. The President saw the picture of himself at a fundraiser at Oprah Winfrey's home in 2008.
The painting by Thurgood Marshall , Supreme Court Justice , hangs in the Oval Office by President Barack Obama in the White House . On October 11, 2005, then Senator Obama sent Guest a note thanking Guest for the picture. Guest has also authored a series of screen prints of President Obama. Guest was then invited by Kouji Matsuzaki San, Mayor of Obama, Fukui Prefecture , to present the screenprints.
On February 24, 2010, Chaz Guest presented the President of Gambia , Yahya Jammeh , with a portrait of the Gambian President. During his visit to The Gambia, Guest discussed with the Gambian guide the renaming of James Island and Juffereh in the North Bank region. Guest suggested to the Gambian guide to rename the island “ Kunta Kinte ”. On February 6, 2011, James Island, the former British slave fort that was used for the slave trade with Africans and is located in the Gambia River in the North Bank region, was renamed Kunta Kinte Island by the Gambian President . At the James Island renaming ceremony in 2011, Guest unveiled the miniature replica of his 30-foot statue of Kunta Kinte to be displayed on Kunta Kinte Island.
Guest created two paintings to help the family of Trayvon Martin , an African American teenager who was killed in an incident in Florida in 2012 , to support Martin's younger brother. Guest donated the proceeds from the sale of the pictures to the Martin family. For Amnesty International , USA, Mr. Guest also painted a picture of Troy Davis - a man sentenced to death for killing a Georgia police officer in 1991.
Guest has been named Goodwill Ambassador for 2011 in the Republic of Gambia, West Africa , and US Spokesperson for the 2014 International Roots Festival in The Gambia.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Rachelle Ryan Fine Art - leftcoastgalleries.com: Artist Profile: Chaz Guest - Statement about the Artist .
- ↑ 4 Real Magazine: Feature: Artist Chaz Guest Profile .
- ↑ The Huffington Post: Chaz Guest, An American Artist .
- ↑ a b Elaine McDuffie - 4Real Magazine: Interview with Artist Chaz Guest .
- ↑ Michelles of Delaware: Chaz Guest - the profile page of artist Chaz Guest on Michelle's of Delaware .
- ↑ Elaine McDuffie - 4Real Magazine: Artist Profile .
- ↑ Rachelle Ryan: Chaz Guest Statement .
- ↑ Michelles of Delaware: Chaz Guest - the profile page of artist Chaz Guest on Michelle's of Delaware .
- ^ Henry Watkins, Editor - Uptown Social: Chaz Guest .
- ^ Museum of the African Diaspora: Decoding Identity: I Do it for My People (January 23, 2009 - March 22, 2009) - a group exhibit that examines the work of artists who use their work to grapple with issues of identity. .
- ^ San Francisco Public Library: Decoding Identity: I Do It For My People - San Francisco Public Library, African American Center Reading Lists .
- ^ Mary Ann Akers, The Sleuth: Behind the scenes in Washington: Artist Paints Portrait of 'President Obama' .
- ^ Barack Obama: Thank you note from Barack Obama to Chaz Guest for the painting of Justice Thurgood .
- ^ Kitty J. Pope, African Diaspora Tourism: Creative Genius of Artist Chaz Guest .
- ^ Barack Obama: Thank you note from Barack Obama to Chaz Guest for the painting of Justice Thurgood .
- ↑ Mike Toppa: Limited Edition Serigraph of Barack Obama . Retrieved February 18, 2014.
- ^ Matt McKinley / McKinley Art Solutions: Obama Portrait: Limited edition serigraph by Chaz Guest .
- ↑ American Painter Chaz Guest Visits Obama City .
- ^ Office of The Gambian President: State House Online: Yahya AJJ Jammeh: President Jammeh hosts Chaz Guest . Retrieved February 18, 2014.
- ↑ gambiarootsfestival2011: Renaming of James Iceland to Kunta Kinte Iceland during the International Roots Festival 2011-The Gambia, West Africa . Archived from the original on July 27, 2012.
- ↑ Isabel Wilkinson: Trayvon Martin: Painted by Chaz Guest - One Los Angeles artist, a favorite of President Obama, has captured the Trayvon Martin tragedy in paint. How Chaz Guest is honoring the teenager's legacy. .
- ^ Amnesty International: Artist Chaz Guest paints Troy Davis .
- ^ Amnesty International: Troy Davis, a man on death row in Georgia. Troy Davis what convicted of murdering a Georgia police officer in 1991. .
- ^ Nancy Lockhart, MJ: Your Legal Analyst: Organizing In The Trenches - Troy Davis Painting By Chaz Guest .
- ↑ Daily Observer: Acclaimed artist named US national spokesperson for 2014 Int'l Roots Festival . Retrieved February 23, 2014.
- ↑ Daily Observer: Acclaimed artist named US national spokesperson for 2014 Int'l Roots Festival . Retrieved February 23, 2014.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Guest, Chaz |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American artist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | May 2, 1961 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Niagara Falls (New York) |