B. 1968
Education
Self Taught Artist
Purdue University
BS – 2004, Major: Electrical Engineering
Boards/Non-Profit Organizations
2024 Gary Arts Council, Founding Member, Gary, IN
2023 Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Board, Vice-President, Michgan City, IN
2023 Arts Hammond Assoc., Founding Member, Hammond, IN
2019-present Hijos de Borinquen, Trustee, East Chicago, IN
Awards
2023 Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc, Gary Alumnae Chapter, Community Tea Pot Award
Solo Exhibitions (selected)
2023 Elephant Room - The Astros, Chicago, IL
2022 Marshall J. Gardner Center for the Arts - 5+3 = 8, Gary, IN
2021 South Shore Arts - Imagine Us, Munster, IN
Governors’ State University - Larger Works, University Park, IL
2017 Eileen Dorsey Studio - 78th Street Studios - Artist Residency - Cleveland, OH
2016 Standing Passenger - Alpha Babble - Chicago, IL
2014 Hammond Art Center – Put To Rest – Hammond, IN
2010 South Shore Arts – Circle of Influence – Munster, IN
2009 Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art – das my I$H – Indianapolis, IN
2008 Substation #9 – Play, Hammond, IN
2007 CISA Gallery – Critical Beatdown, Hammond, IN
2005 Indiana University Gallery for Contemporary Art – MayFirst/Alma – Gary, IN
2004 Towle Community Theater – Recent Works – Hammond, IN
Uncle Freddy’s Gallery – Break Trance – Hammond, IN
2003 Indiana Univ. Gallery for Contemporary Art – Relatives-Time-Space, Gary, IN
1999 Hammond Public Library – Graffiti Art, Hammond, IN
Purdue University Calumet – Funky Abstracts, Hammond, IN
Group Exhibitions (selected)
2023 Elephant Room, Annual 12x12, Chicago, IL
2022 Museum of Graffiti, Estilo Boricua, Wynwood, Miami, FL
SOMARTS, To Love and Be Loved in Return, San Francisco, CA
Elephant Room, Annual 12x12, Chicago, IL
Indiana University Northwest, POP-UP ART Exhibition, Hobart, IN
2021 Grace Jane, Group Show, Chicago, IL
Elephant Room, Annual 12x12, Chicago, IL
2019 Ari’s Artspace - Intentionally Left Bla_k, Chicago, IL
2018 Ari’s Artspace - Salon Show, Chicago, IL
The Creative Hub - Aerial Motives, Hammond, IN
2017 Workshop 4200 - Expo 4200, Chicago, IL
Bray Grove Farm - Cultivator, Morris, IL
Legendary Gallery - I Used to Love Her: A Hip Hop Show, Chicago, IL
Zhou B Art Center, Studio 401 …still CRAZY, Chicago, IL
Superior Street Center for the Arts, Fermentable, Chicago, IL
Studio 401, Zhou B Art Center, …still CRAZY, Chicago, IL
2016 The Creative Hub, The Visual Heist, Hammond, IN
Indiana State Museum, …still CRAZY, Indianapolis, IN
Galerie F, You Are Beautiful DIY Sticker, Chicago, IL
Legendary Gallery, Showing the West Side Some Love, Chicago, IL
2015 Galerie F, 3rd Year Anniversary Show/You Are Beautiful DIY, Chicago, IL
Zhou B Art Center - Centerline, Chicago, IL
Marshall J Gardner Art Center – From The Studios, Gary, IN
Primary Colors – Subsurface, Indianapolis, IN
2014 15th & West – Meetings of Style, Chicago, IL
Merge Bldg. – Winter Group Exhibition, Hammond, IN
Fountain Art Fair – ISH vs. FLEX, Wicker Park Bocce Club, New York, NY
2013 Uncle Art Gallery – ESP, Chicago, IL
Hammond Arts Center – CODES, Hammond, IN
Chicago Cultural Center – Paint, Paste, Sticker, Chicago, IL
Cultural Arts Gallery – IU PUI – Midwest Street Art, Indianapolis, IN
Primary Gallery – Post-Graffiti Abstracts, Indianapolis, IN
Merge Bldg. – Spring Group Exhibition, Hammond, IN
Zhou B Art Center – Has Beens and Wannabes, Chicago, IL
Mortar Net Bldg. – Lake Effect 2013, Miller Beach, IN
2012 MANA Contemporary Chicago - MDW Fair, Chicago, IL
Gala Gallery – Inspiracja, Chicago, IL
Carlos & Dominguez Gallery – 19th State of Mind, Chicago, IL
Treasure Town Studios, Eyes & Teeth, Chicago, IL
Merge Bldg. – Spring Group Exhibition, Hammond, IN
Merge Bldg. – Opening Reception, Hammond, IN
2010 54B – The Night 54B Stole XMAS, Chicago, IL
Indiana University Gallery for Contemporary Art - Day of the Dead, Gary, IN
2009 Crewest Gallery – The Sharpie Show, Los Angeles, CA
Alternative Space - Run! Blago. Run!, Chicago, IL
2612 Space – Unusual Suspects, Chicago, IL
2008 Maison des Metallos - 400mL Book Release Exhibition – Paris, France
Swope Art Museum– 64th Annual Wabash Valley Exhibition, Terre Haute, IN
South Shore Arts – 65th Annual Salon Show, Munster, IN
Bloomingdale Arts Center – ESP, Chicago, IL
Uncle Freddy’s Gallery – Momentary Silence, Highland, IN
Mercantile Bank – Homecoming, Hammond, IN
2007 CISA Gallery – Arte Muerte – Hammond, Indiana
2006 Uncle Freddy’s Gallery – Uncle Freddy’s Favorites – Highland, IN
Stutz Gallery – Subsurface – Indianapolis, IN
2005 SOMArts – A Ritual in the Journey of Life and Death – San Francisco, CA
Huber’s Funeral Home – Séance – East Chicago, IN
2004 Uncle Freddy’s Gallery – Home & Away – Hammond, IN
2003 Uncle Freddy’s Gallery– In and Around, Hammond, IN
Old Nipsco Building – Cubicle, Hammond, IN
2002 Northern Indiana Arts Assoc. – 58th Annual Salon Show, Munster, IN
Supreme Gallery – Seven, Chicago, IL
Hammond Development Center – Mind and Matter, Hammond, IN
Century 900 Gallery – INDYNASTYLE, Chicago, IL
Hammond Development Center – 14 x 14, Hammond, IN
2001 Century 900 Gallery – This Thing of Ours, Chicago, IL
Hammond Civic Center – A very nice day with GREY, Hammond, IN
Towle Community Theatre – Arts Inside Out, Hammond, IN
Century 900 Gallery – CISA: La Bodega Show, Chicago, IL
Substation #9 – Evolution of a Revolution, Hammond, IN
Gallery Northwest – La Pachanga, Gary, IN
1998 William J. Bachman Gallery – Latino Artists in Chicago and the Calumet Region, Munster, IN
Curatorial Activities
2023 Merge Building, Hammond, IN - MERGE WALLS (outdoor graffiti exhibition - artist/location coordinator)
2019 Ari’s Artspace, Chicago, IL, Intentionally Left Bla_k, (assistant curator)
2018 South Shore Arts, Munster, IN, INDY WINDY: A Love Story
Indiana State Museum, Indianapolis, IN, …still CRAZY (assistant curator)
2015 Marshall J Gardener Center for the Arts, Gary, IN, From the Studios
15th and West, Chicago, IL, Planet Rock
2012 The Service Center, Indianapolis, IN, SUBSURFACE: 10 Year Celebration
Gala Gallery, Chicago, IL, TRUE LOVE: Recent Works by Tyrue “Slang” Jones
2010 CISA Gallery, Hammond, IN, Pinta Purdue
2009 SWOPE Art Museum, Terre Haute, Indiana, Heartland Graffiti: Writers from the Midwest
2009 CISA Gallery, Hammond, Indiana
Inkvasion
Inspired Creatures
2008 IUN Gallery for Contemporary Art, Gary, Indiana, INDY WINDY LOVE
2007 CISA Gallery, Hammond, Indiana
Gary, Indiana
Arte Muerte
Graffiti Ahead
Los Maravillosos
Jody Clark:Art of the Sword
Native Flesh Live from a Doomtown
Intergalactic Street Talk
Twenty Years: Critical Beatdown
Commissions + Public Art Projects
2022 Indiana Pacers / Gainsbridge Field House, Indianapolis, IN, Espiritu de Juego
2021 Graffiti Heart / Cleveland Walls, Cleveland, OH, Boys from the Heights
Jiffy Lube, Crown Point, IN, Flowers in My Head
South Shore Arts, Munster, IN Anti-Violence Mural with Teen Arts Boards
Flights Tap Room / Cask Cellar, Hamond, IN, Designed Collector Logo for Single Barrel Release
2019 Graffiti Heart, Cleveland, OH, INSIDES2019 Jiffy Lube, Indianapolis, IN, Three Kings
Leeds Public House, Michigan City, IN, Gathering Spot & Drifting on a Memory
One 13, Crown Point, IN, On the Square
2018 Lubeznik Art Center + NIPSCO + Franciscan Hospital, Michigan City, IN, Late September 2018
City of Gary + Legacy Foundation, Gary, IN. Brand New Day Mural
Gary Sanitary District, Gary, IN, The First to Benefit
2017 Gordon Square Arts District, Cleveland, OH. More Heart than Art Mural
Miller Beach Arts & Creative District, Miller Beach, IN. Lake Effect 2017
NISource, Merrillville, IN, 2016 Mentoring Program
2016 Lubeznik Art Center, Michigan City, IN. A Lovely Day by the Lake
Indiana State Museum, Indianapolis, IN. 219 to 317
Indiana State Museum, Indianapolis, IN. Heterodox Swag
2015 Miller Beach Arts & Creative District, Miller Beach, IN. Lake Effect 2015
Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago, IL, 606 Bloomingdale Art Walk, Graffiti Garden
2013 The New Wishard-Eskenazi Hospital, Indianapolis, IN, “Crossroads” Murals
Miller Beach Arts & Creative District, Miller Beach, IN. Lake Effect 2013
2010 NIPSCO, Gary, IN. “Magic City” mural
2006 NiSource, Merrillville, IN. County Seats Public Art Project
2004 Indiana State Museum, Indianapolis, IN. Chicano Visions
Community Contributions
2024 Panelist, Indiana Arts Commission - Needs for city of Gary creatives
Panelist, Legacy Foundation - Needs for Lake County, Indiana creatives
2023 Juror, South Shore Arts - 80th Salon Show
Steering Committee Member, Eddie Melton Transition Team, Creating a Viable Arts Programing in Gary, Indiana
2017 DIFFA Chicago, Chicago, IL, Art for Life Chicago
2015 Panelist, Indiana Arts Commission, Munster, IN – Arts Grant Applications for Indiana Arts Commission
2014 Panelist, Indiana Arts Commission, Munster, IN – Arts Grant Applications for Indiana Arts Commission
2014 Event Co-organizer, CISA Studio, Towle Theatre – Arte Muerte: Day of the Dead Celebration
2012 Panelist, Indiana Arts Commission, Munster, IN – Arts Grant Applications for Indiana Arts Commission
2011 Curator, Boys and Girl Club of Northwest Indiana – Curated Fundraising Exhibition
2011 Panelist, Indiana Arts Commission, Munster, IN – Arts Grant Applications for Indiana Arts Commission
2005 Artwork, Purdue University Calumet, Hammond, IN: Tsunami Relief Concert
Artwork, The Urban Artist Network, Indianapolis, IN: Subsurface Graffiti Exhibition
2004 Event Organizer, Hammond Sanitation Department, Hammond, IN: Concrete Jungle Graffiti Exhibition
Artwork, City of Griffith: Trains Public Art Project
Artwork, Indianapolis Art Center: Subsurface
2003 Instructor, South Shore Arts & YMCA, Hammond, IN: Art Outreach
Artwork, City of Highland: Ducks on Parade
2001 Instructor, South Shore Arts & School City of Hammond: ProjectLEARN
1999 Artwork, Purdue University Calumet, Hammond, IN: Math Teacher
Substation #9, Hammond, IN: Elements
1985-present Chicago land Area – Graffiti Writing. Works range from individuals pieces of my pseudonym to large-scale mural productions.
Lectures
2023 South Shore Arts - Process of Jurying a Call for Entries Exhibition
2015 Marshall J Gardner Center for the Arts – Graffiti Writing
One hour lecture discussing the impulse and root of graffiti writing. The lecture went back to Kilroy and walked through current day practices and philosophies.
2013 Primary Gallery, Indianapolis, IN – What Motivates Graffiti Writers
One hour lecture with Dan Thompson discussing the history of the Midwest graffiti writing movement and personal reflections on being an active member of the community.
2012 East Chicago Central - Future In Your Hands
Lectured 70+ students on the importance of developing goals to obtain success as an artist and being a citizen of consequence. Discussed the book “Do You!” by Russell Simmons
2011 East Chicago Central - Future In Your Hands
Lectured 200 art students on the importance of developing goals to obtain success as an artist and being a citizen of consequence
2011 Purdue University Calumet - USHLI/PUC Career Day
Lectured 50 students on the importance of education and overcoming negative influences in the pursuit of a higher quality of life. Focussed on having the students read out loud quotes from leaders past and present with the students sharing their perspectives and insights.
2010 South Shore Arts - The Birth of Graffiti
Guest lecturer for “Art in Focus” at South Shore Arts. Lectured 40 patrons on how graffiti writing grew from an inner-city activity in the seventies to a contemporary art form. Lecture focussed on the environment that gave birth to the movement
2009 Swope Art Museum - Heartland Graffiti
Lectured 50 Art Patrons during the opening reception of “Heartland Graffiti” exhibit. Focused on the development of graffiti writing in the Midwest and the underground culture of the art form.
2009 Purdue University Calumet - USHLI/PUC Career Day
Lectured 50 students on the importance of education and overcoming negative influences in the pursuit of a higher quality of life. Focussed on having the students read out loud quotes from leaders past and present with the students sharing their perspectives and insights.