Meier Achievement Awards for 2017 Gives Thanks for Work of Four Artists

Helen Coburn Meier and Tim Meier today released the names of their 12th Arts Achievement Awards. Their Foundation recognizes Chicago-based artists in mid-career who push the artistic envelope.

The 2017 awardees are painter Tim Anderson, sculptor Chris Bradley, choreographer Chloe Jensen, and sculptor Jill King.

Tim Anderson – A meticulous portrait and abstract painter, Tim has exhibited continuously since 1978 in Chicago and internationally, including Edinburgh, Moscow, Munich, Regensburg, Krakow, Wolfenbuttel, Italy, Paris, Los Angeles, and St. Louis. As one of the founders of “The Coldhouse Group,” he initiated a new and successful exhibition concept using abandoned cold storage warehouses and rail terminals as exhibition halls. Tim has conceived and executed large commissions about Chicago, including 70 oils of Chicagoans for the Equitable Building as well as portraits of 24 historic and contemporary Chicagoans for the Beverly Branch Library. Tim Meier says, “Tim’s work is magnificently communicative.  He is beautifully and thoroughly trained.”  For more information, see www.timandersonart.com

Chris Bradley received his BFA from the University of Michigan, and his MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he is an instructor. His recent exhibition history includes solo shows at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Shane Campbell Gallery (Chicago), Roberto Paradise (San Juan, PR), and the Museum of Contemporary Art Raleigh, and group shows at The Renaissance Society, Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit. Helen Meier says, “Bradley’s art is whimsical, innovative and comments on function and dysfunction.” For more information, see www.chrisbradley.us.

Chloe Jensen is the Founder and Creative Director of Aerial Dance Chicago, a nonprofit organization she formed in 1999 to explore her vision of taking dance into flight. She earned a specialized degree from the College of Performing Arts at Northern Illinois University combining dance, education and physical education. Chloe continued her study of dance, choreography and kinesiology in graduate school at Arizona State University. In addition to her work for ADC, she has danced for The Lyric Opera of Chicago and for a unique trampoline-ballet by Cirque du Soleil choreographer Debra Brown. Now entering its 19th season, ADC has recently performed her works, including UnEarthed (2011), Gravity (2013), Aya (2015) and Ghost Stories (2016).  Helen says, “Chloe relishes the relationship between body and mind.” For more information, see www.aerialdancechicago.org.

Jill King is a Chicago born artist whose suspended sculptures take the viewer on a journey from the smallest elements of creation, such as a seed under a microscope and into vast galaxies light years away. King’s art has been exhibited at the Lincoln Park Conservatory, Expo Chicago, SOFA Chicago, the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art in Chicago and many galleries throughout the Midwest. Her work is in several private and public collections throughout the country, including The Lorraine Morton Civic Center, Evanston IL and the Loyola Medical Center in Burr Ridge, IL. Helen says Jill is “the Queen of unpredictable moments.” For more information, see www.jillkingstudio.com.

The Meier Achievement Award 

The 2017 Meier Achievement Award recognizes past work of mid-career arts professionals with checks for $40,000.  There are no applications, no project to submit, and no outcome measurements.  This follows Tim Meier’s directive, “No strings.” For more information, see www.meierfoundation.org.

Past Recipients : 

Jim Lasko, founding Artistic Director, Redmoon Theatre

James Bohnen, cofounder & former Artistic Director, Remy Bumppo Theatre

Meade Palidofsky, founder & Artistic Director, StoryCatchers Theatre

Patti McKenny, poet, librettist/lyricist, Founder of Chicago Musical Theatre Works

John Eskola, tenor, cabaret artist

Mark Messing, composer, founder of Mucca Pazzo gypsy marching band & Lullaby Project

PJ Powers, founder & Artistic Director, TimeLine Theatre

Michael Patrick Thornton, founder & Artistic Director, Gift Theater

Homer Hans Bryant, Director, Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center

Elizabeth Doyle, composer, cabaret artist

Hallie Gordon, director, Steppenwolf Theatre for Young Adults

James Ginsburg, classical musical producer, Cedille Records

Terry Karpowicz, sculptor

Miroslaw Rogala, multi-media artist

Molly Shanahan, choreographer, Mad Shak company

Wesley Kimler, painter

Jeff Kowalkowski, new music composer

Nick Sandys, director/actor/fight choreographer, Artistic Director, Remy Bumppo Theatre

Mindy Rose Schwartz, sculptor

Bernard Williams, painter/sculptor

Jack Zimmerman, storyteller

Sean Graney, playwright

Rob Mazurek, electro-acoustic composer, cornetist, improviser and visual artist

Julia Miller, sound artist, guitarist, improvisor, composer, visual artist, curator and educator

Simone Muench, poet

Chris Newman, sculptor

Donald Noon, sculptor

Damon Locks, visual artist and musician

James Morrow, dancer and choreographer

Dan Ramirez, painter

Eric Stephenson, sculptor

Stephen Burns, artistic director and conductor, Fulcrum Point

Stacy Garrop, composer

Ayako Kato, dancer and choreographer